Watch for the Geminids on Wednesday

[Fraser]

One of the best meteor showers of the year - the Geminids - are about to peak. If you've got clear skies, head out on the evening of December 13th, and you could see a few meteors an hour. Unlike most meteor showers, the source of the Geminids is a bit of a mystery, since the dust doesn't seem to originate from a comet. A small asteroid called 3200 Phaethon has been discovered in the right orbit, but astronomers aren't sure how it could be generating enough dust to cause such beautiful meteor showers.

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[mikeh9741]

I want to try to see some Geminids tonight and I'm trying to figure out where to look. I live in Manchester, NH, which is 43.0° N 71.5° W. The image in this page seems to suggest looking to the East-Southeast at 11:30pm. But the story that links to that page (here) seems to say that I should look to the East-Northeast. Can anyone help me resolve this apparent conflict?

[RUF]

I would assume that since they are called Geminids, the constellation Gemini must be near the radiant. Look in the direction of the constellation Gemini.

[qazsxdr]

Hey guys,

just got in from watching the meteor showers here in california. I live in burbank, but drove up into the san gabriel mountians for a look. saw about twenty for the hour i was up there. there's still a lot of light from LA and it was a little hazy on the horizon, but i did see a couple of good ones. I saw one well enough to make out the blue of the flame trailing the meteor. pretty cool.

walt

[Ronald Brak]

I'm afraid it's overcast here and I shall probably miss them. On the Pacific side of Australia they are supposed to rise above the horizon a little before midnight.

[Dave Mitsky]

I saw 28 Geminids in a 90 minute period before the fog rolled up the hill to the ASH Naylor Observatory grounds and put an end to my meteor counting. During the first hour, I counted 21 Geminids. Then the transparency, which wasn't that great to begin with, grew steadily worse. Five of the Geminid meteors that I saw were at least as bright as Sirius, with one of them being distinctly brighter.

I gave up when all I could see were first and second magnitude stars. It was a pea soup homeward drive.

Dave Mitsky