“Crown Up the Sky! The ‘King of the Meteor Showers’ Awakens This Week

This week marks a very special time for astronomers and stargazers – the peak of the Geminids meteor shower, otherwise known as the “King of Meteor Showers”. According to the American Meteor Society, the Geminids are the strongest annual meteor shower, and this year’s peak will occur on the night of December 13th-14th in the early morning hours of the morning. The Geminids are created by the 3200 Phaethon, an asteroid that was discovered in 1983. As the asteroid moves around the sun, it also sends out dust and pebbles, which become the meteors that streak across the night’s sky. Everything will be suing up to the intense activity that will take place between 1:00 AM and 2:30 AM in the morning on the peak night of the shower. At the peak you can expect to see one to two meteors of varying sizes every minute. Unlike other meteor showers, the Geminids come out of the constellation Gemini, in contrast to other showers which often come from one direction. This is why it is sometimes known as the “King of Meteor Showers,” as it emits the most meteors from multiple directions. The Geminids are also unique in that they are the result of an asteroid rather that a comet nucleus. Normally the debris and dust is created by the tail of a comet or its nucleus, however in this case it is about as if the asteroid itself has broken apart and is producing meteors. This year’s Geminids are expected to be particularly spectacular, so don’t miss out if you’re able to catch it this week. If you are lucky enough to get clear skies and an uninterrupted view, you’ll be able to witness one of the most amazing meteor showers known to mankind.