Today in TechGeminids offer the last chance to catch a meteor shower in 2011
This hasn't been a great year for meteor-watching: the nearly full moon has made it difficult to see both the Perseid and Leonid meteor showers this year. Sadly, the same situation will occur for the Geminid meteor shower, the last of the year's stellar events, which will be somewhat dimmed by the light of the waning full moon.
The Geminids are scheduled to peak tomorrow and Wednesday evening, when it should still be possible to see up to a hundred meteors per hour if the weather's good. This particular shower is usually great for watching and photographing the meteors, as they tend to be relatively slow and bright.
The Geminid meteor shower is also unusual compared to other meteor showers because it's not caused by the Earth passing through the debris trail of a comet. On the contrary, the debris stream that causes the Geminids is actually from an asteroid called Phaethon 3200. These asteroids tend to be more solid than those from comet tails, which is why they are frequently brighter and easier to see.
To catch the Geminids, dress warmly and keep your eyes to the sky. The meteors will radiate from near the constellation Gemini, though they can appear anywhere in the night sky.
[Image credit: Tydence Davis]
[via Universe Today]
This article was written by Katherine Gray and originally appeared on Tecca
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