The 2020 Geminid meteor shower tops tonight and you can watch it live online when bad weather worsens the view.
Geminid is the best meteor display of the year, the meteor shower will be most active late this evening and Monday (December 13-14). Geminids occur in December each year as the Earth crosses a dust path from the asteroid 3200 Phaethon.
“Realistically, the projected rate of observers in the northern hemisphere is closer to 60 meteors per hour,” NASA officials wrote in an update. “That means you can see an average of one Geminid per minute in the dark sky at the top of the shower.”
Connected: Geminid meteor shower 2020: When, where and how to see
Gemini meteor shower online broadcasts
Geminid meteor shower 2020
If you’re taking a photo of the Geminid meteor shower, we want to know! You can send pictures, videos and descriptions to: [email protected].
You can choose from a number of online streaming options to watch the Geminid meteor shower online, but you can view most of them here at Space.com.
At 5:30 PM EST (2230 GMT), Slooh Online Observatory launches webcast with special guest Dr. Mike Shaw, organized by Slooh astronomers Paul Cox and Bob Berman. You can watch it here on Space.com, courtesy of Slooh.com, as well as on Slooh’s website and YouTube.
Slooh uses remote-controlled binoculars on its most amazing dark sky sites to give users a live view of the night sky. Subscribers can also manage binoculars remotely.
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If you’re looking for something a little earlier, Gianluca Masi’s astrophysical virtual telescope project in Ceccano, Italy, offers another webcast at: 17:00 EST (2200 GMT). You can follow the webcast here on Space.com, as well as directly from the Virtual Telescope Project website here and from the YouTube page here.
YouTube’s CosmoSapiens website, which often broadcasts live views of night sky events, hosts its own webcast 4:00 PM EST (2100 GMT).
NASA’s Monday Night Geminids
If you can’t tune in to the Geminids meteor shower on Sunday, don’t worry.
NASA’s Marshall Space Center in Huntsville, Alabama, will broadcast a live webcast on Facebook on Monday night (December 14). This is when NASA’s meteor webcast begins 9:00 AM EST (December 15, 0200) and runs through 5:00 AM EST (1000 GMT).
NASA’s webcast was originally scheduled for Sunday night, but rain and cloud caused delays.
“We probably won’t see as many meteors as at peak, but if the sky stays clear, it should still be a great night to detect the meteors,” NASA officials wrote in an update.
Of course, if the weather is clear, you can always try to observe the Geminid meteors with your own eyes. They seem to radiate from a point in the sky near the constellation Gemini, hence their name.
In the Northern Hemisphere, the best time to search is 2 p.m., local time, Monday morning at 2 p.m., although NASA has updated it to be visible between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m., local time.
In the southern hemisphere, geminids begin a little later, between Monday midnight and dawn, NASA officials said.
“Female observers who watch from midnight to 4 a.m. should catch the most meteors,” NASA wrote in its update.
Tips for viewing the Geminid meteor shower
If you’re hunting for Geminid meteors overnight, keep these tips in mind.
Avoid city lights first. Street lights and other light pollution can significantly reduce the number of visible meteors.
Also, make sure your eyes adjust to the darkness for at least 30 minutes to get the most out of your observation session.
If you’re watching the northern hemisphere, where the weather is cooler, you might want to dress warmly and be ready for a blanket and lawn chair when you’re looking for meteors.
Finally, don’t just stare at the constellation Gemini. You may be missing some dazzling meteors.
“Meteors are usually visible all over the sky. Avoid radiation monitoring because nearby meteors have very short distances and are easily missed,” NASA wrote. “When you see a meteor, try to trace it back. If Gemini gets into the constellation, chances are you saw a Geminid.”
Editor’s note: If you’re accidentally watching the 2020 Geminid meteor shower and want to share your experience with Space.com for a story or slideshow, send pictures and comments to: [email protected].
Send an email to Tariq Malik at [email protected] or follow him @tariqjmalik. Follow us on @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Instagram.
