How to watch the Geminid Meteor shower in 2024: Peak dates, viewing tips, and what to expect

economictimes.indiatimes.com:

Geminid Meteor Shower 2024: Best Viewing Times and Locations

For the best experience, watch the Geminids in an area far from city lights. Viewers should prepare for cold temperatures and lie flat on their backs with their feet pointing south. Giving your eyes at least 30 minutes to adjust to the darkness is essential for spotting meteors. While the Geminids typically begin to appear around 9 or 10 p.m. local time, the most prominent meteors are visible after midnight, with the best viewing time around 2 a.m. local time, when the radiant point of the shower is highest in the sky.

Geminid Meteor Shower 2024: Challenges of 2024’s Viewing Conditions

Although the Geminid meteor shower is typically one of the most active of the year, this year’s viewing conditions are less than ideal. The waxing gibbous moon, which will reach full on December 15, will be quite bright, and viewers may only see the brightest meteors. According to Bill Cooke, lead of NASA's Meteoroid Environment Office, the moonlight will interfere, especially on the peak nights. He also pointed out that 2024 will not be a good year for Geminid viewing, with 2025 offering much better conditions.

December Meteor Shower 2024: What Makes the Geminids Unique?

Unlike most meteor showers that come from comets, the Geminid meteors originate from the asteroid 3200 Phaethon. This asteroid, which orbits the sun similarly to a comet, was discovered in 1983 and has a unique path that brings its debris into Earth's orbit every December. The Geminids have been active