The Gemini meteor shower of 2020 will peak overnight, and you can watch it live online if bad weather spoils your vision.
Gemini meteor shower is said to be the best meteor shower of the year It will be active tonight and Monday (Dec. 13-14). Geminites occur every year in December when the Earth passes through a dusty orbit from the asteroid 3200 Python.
“Realistically, the estimated rate for visitors to the Northern Hemisphere is close to 60 meteorites,” NASA officials wrote in an update. “This means that one can expect to see an average of one Gemini per minute in the dark sky at the peak of the rain.”
Related: Gemini Meteor Shower 2020: See when, where, and how
Gemini meteor shower webcasts
Gemini Meteor Shower 2020
If you took a photo of the Gemini meteor shower, we’d love to know! Send pictures, videos and your descriptions to: [email protected].
You have many webcast options to watch Gemini Meteor Shower online, but you can see most of them here on space.com.
In 5:30 pm EST (2230 GMT), Sloe Online Watch will launch a campaign hosted by Sloo astronomers Paul Cox and Bob Berman, with special guest Dr. Mike Shaw. You can check it out here at Space.com, courtesy of Sloh.com, as well as the Slow website and YouTube page.
Sloh uses long-distance telescopes on some amazing dark-sky platforms that provide users with live views of the night sky. Subscribers can operate telescopes remotely.
Related: How to see the best meteor shower of 2020
If you are looking for something a little earlier, the virtual telescope project by astronomer Gianluca Masi in Secunderabad, Italy will provide another webcast 5 pm EST (2200 GMT). You can follow that webcast here on Space.com, as well as directly from the Virtual Telescope project’s website and its YouTube page.
The YouTube site Cosmosabians, which frequently streams live footage of night sky events, provides its own webcast. 4 pm EST (2100 GMT).
NASA’s Monday Night Geminites
If you can not connect with the Geminits meteor shower webcast on Sunday, do not worry.
NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama will offer a live broadcast on its Facebook page Monday night (Dec. 14). NASA meteor launches webcast 9pm EST (0200 Dec. 15) And running through 5am EST (1000 GMT).
The NASA webcast was originally scheduled for Sunday night, but rain and clouds triggered the delay.
“We will not see as many meteorites as we are at peak, but if the sky is clear it should be the best night to find meteorites,” NASA officials wrote in an update.
Of course, if your weather is clear, you can always try and observe Gemini meteorites with your own eyes. They appear to radiate from a point in the sky near the constellation Gemini, hence their name.
In the Northern Hemisphere, the best time to search for Geminites will be at your location at 2am on Monday, Monday local time, however, according to NASA’s update, they should begin to appear between 7:30 pm and 8 pm local time.
In the southern hemisphere, Gemini starts shortly after noon, from midnight to dawn on Monday, NASA officials said.
“Gemini observers who observe from midnight to 4 a.m. should catch more meteorites,” NASA wrote in its update.
Tips for viewing the Gemini meteor shower
If you are hunting for Gemini meteorite overnight, keep these tips in mind.
First, stay away from city lights. Streetlights and other light pollution can greatly reduce the number of meteors you can see.
Make sure your eyes are adjusted to the dark for at least 30 minutes to make the most of your monitoring session.
If you notice in the northern hemisphere where the weather is cold, you should be lovingly dressed and ready with a blanket and lawn chair when looking for meteors.
Finally, do not stare at the Gemini galaxy. You will miss some dazzling meteorites.
“Asteroids are commonly found throughout the sky. Avoid looking at radiation because meteorites close to it have very narrow tracks and are easily missed,” NASA wrote. “When you see a meteorite, try to find it backwards. If you end up in the Gemini galaxy, you have a good chance of seeing a Gemini.”
Author’s note: If you happen to notice the Gemini meteor shower of 2020, and would like to share the experience with Space.com for a story or slide show, please send pictures and comments. [email protected].
Email Tariq Malik at [email protected] or follow him tariqjmalik. Follow us on pSpacedotcom, Facebook and Instagram.