The meteor shower from the celestial object related to the origin of life on Earth will peak on the night of December 13 to the early morning of December 14.
According to Time and Date, from the perspective of Ho Chi Minh City, on the night of December 13 to the early morning of December 14, skywatchers can witness up to 150 meteors per hour as the Geminids meteor shower reaches its peak.
This number of meteors makes it the “king” among the meteor showers that have appeared in 2024.
A night of Geminids meteor shower – (Photo: SMITHSONIAN MAGAZINE).
The Geminids are one of the largest and most reliable annual meteor showers.
Although there are no years of extraordinary bursts that lead to a “meteor storm” like some other meteor showers, the Geminids ensure a steady display of light year after year, with at least 120-150 meteors per hour during the peak night.
To observe the Geminids, you should allow your eyes to adjust to the darkness for about 15-20 minutes and look towards the constellation Gemini.
The source of the meteor shower will be right above the outstretched arm of one of the two figures represented by this constellation in the sky.
Location of the Geminids meteor shower as lifted by the arm of one of the two figures – the image created by the constellation Gemini – in the sky – (Photo: Stellarium/ABC).
The constellation Gemini derives its name from the Latin word for twins, which is also why this meteor shower is named the Geminids.
However, the true origin of the Geminids is one of the most peculiar objects in the solar system: 3200 Phaethon.
3200 Phaethon is an ancient asteroid belonging to the carbonaceous chondrites (CC) group, which are older than Earth and carry materials from the early solar system.
This type of asteroid offers humanity a chance to understand more about the origins of our planet as well as the primordial seeds of life.
The asteroid takes about 1.4 years to orbit the Sun. Although it is not a comet, it still leaves behind a dense trail of rocky dust.
The Geminids meteor shower is created whenever we pass through this rocky dust trail at the end of the year.
If you miss the peak night, don’t worry. This meteor shower will continue until December 20, although it will gradually weaken after tonight.
If you try to observe during 1-2 nights after the peak, the number of meteors falling will still be relatively dense.
Previously, the first Geminids meteors began to appear sporadically from December 4.
At the end of 2024, we will also have the opportunity to witness the Ursids meteor shower, as well as a few days marking the beginning of the Quadrantids meteor shower.
