2024-02-04 16:54:29
- Par Maddie Molloy
- BBC News Climat & Science
17 minutes ago
Photo credit, Grant Privett
Image caption,
The Geminids are visible every year in mid-December.
The Geminids meteor shower, famous for its multi-colored streaks of light in the night sky, has amazed observers around the world.
Visible worldwide, meteors can be observed with the naked eye as long as the sky is not too cloudy or affected by light pollution.
Under perfect conditions, observers can see dozens of meteors every hour.
NASA considers the Geminids one of the “best and most reliable annual meteor showers.”
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Photo credit, Carl Jacolette
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The meteor shower might be seen above St Aldhelm’s Chapel in Dorset.
Photo credit, Dennis Boon
Image caption,
Geminid meteor shower seen near Hay-on-Wye, Wales
What are the exact causes of these showers?
Meteors appear when Earth passes through debris trails from comets or asteroids. When this debris hits our planet’s atmosphere, it burns and creates spectacular light trails.
The Geminids are triggered by celestial debris left behind by a rocky asteroid known as 3200 Phaethon.
“Shooting stars are actually nothing like stars,” says space scientist and co-host of The Sky at Night, Maggie Aderin-Pocock. “It’s just tiny bits of debris burning.
Crédit photo, Weather Watcher John Hall
Image caption,
The Geminids meteor shower was seen in Elham, Kent.
Crédit photo, BBC Weather Watcher SailyBilly
Image caption,
The meteor shower was seen in Hampshire
According to Dr Aderin-Pocock, the fact that this meteor shower is caused by an asteroid and not a comet makes it “very spectacular, because asteroids are rocky”, while comets are icy.
“Many of these shooting stars will be colored because of the difference between the elements in the particles,” she added.
According to the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, colors include white, yellow, green, red and blue. These colors are partly due to the presence of traces of metals such as sodium and calcium in the debris.
Photo credit, Colin Matheson
Image caption,
Rain was seen in the sky over Buddo Rock, near Boarhills, Scotland.
The name “Geminids” comes from Gemini, the constellation from which these meteors appear to emerge.
“This meteor shower is nothing more than a magnificent nocturnal phenomenon during which many shooting stars seem to come from the same area of the sky,” explains Dr. Minjae Kim, an astronomy and astrophysics researcher at the University of Warwick.
Dr. Aderin-Pocock explains that the best way to see meteors is to look at the sky, adding that “you don’t have to look toward Gemini, but you might see more if you do.”
“If you find Orion, look slightly to your left and you should see Gemini, where these shooting stars will emerge from,” Dr Aderin-Pocock said.
You won’t need any special equipment to watch the meteor shower, and it may be easier to see them with the naked eye.
It is also advisable to go to a place that is as dark as possible, as light pollution from cities can spoil the view.
Although the spectacle has been visible for a few days now, the meteor shower reached its peak during the night from Thursday to Friday.
Don’t worry if you didn’t manage to see the Geminids during their peak, as the rains continue for a few days, but in fewer numbers.
Dr. Kim suggests downloading a stargazing app to know where to look.
“If you can find the Gemini constellation first, the meteor shower will be child’s play,” he explains.
Photo credit, Getty Images
Image caption,
You should be able to see the meteors with the naked eye – weather permitting.
Dr. Kim also advises giving your eyes time to get used to the darkness and bringing a friend with you, so you don’t lose sight of different parts of the sky.
Simon King, BBC weather presenter, believes the clouds cleared enough overnight Thursday to Friday for the meteor shower to be seen across the UK.
“Friday evening will be overcast across most of the UK, with the exception of eastern England where the sky will be clear.
“The night from Saturday to Sunday is not looking very good, with overcast skies across the whole of the UK, but the night from Sunday to Monday may be the best for many people.
“Clear skies are expected at least for a while over England and Wales, particularly in southern and eastern areas.
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