Meteor showers are one of the best astronomical events that people gather to witness and now that we are in the last months of the year there are two main showers to expect. November holds Leonids and December has Geminids.
During December, the Gemindis meteor showers are expected to peak on December 14, 2023, and the showers are expected all night. The event is expected to last until December 24 and experts claim that under a dark sky, there is a possibility of watching 120 Geminid meteors per hour.
Experts claim that Geminids are some of the Northern Hemisphere’s best showers, most prominently where the moon is absent.
The meteors in the Geminid shower are going to be very bright but not especially fast. What makes them unusual is that they will be almost multi-colored. Most will be white, but some will be yellow, blue, red or green.
The shower has been known produce over 150 meteors per hour at its peak, although light pollution and other factors mean that in reality, the actual number visible is far less.
How long are the geminids visible?
This is one of the most active and reliable meteor showers of the year meaning it is more likely to be worth your while going to the trouble of seeing it.
It is unique because the meteors are visible all night long, since the constellation Gemini arises just an hour or two after nightfall. Most meteor showers require waiting until midnight or pre-dawn for the best viewing.
Because Gemini rises so early, the meteors can actually be seen all through the night rather than at an overly specific time.