Geminids
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The Geminids are a meteor shower caused by an object named 3200 Phaethon, which is thought to be an extinct comet. The meteors from this shower can seen in mid-December and usually peak around 12-14 December. The Geminid shower is thought to be intensifying every year and recent showers have seen 120-160 meteors per hour under optimal conditions. The Gemininds were first observed only 150 years ago, much more recently than other showers such as the Perseids and Leonids.
The meteors in this shower appear to radiate from the constellation Gemini (hence the shower's name). However, they can appear almost anywhere in the night sky, and often appear yellowish in hue. The meteors travel at medium speed in relation to other showers, at about 22 miles per second, making them fairly easy to spot. The Geminids are now considered by many to be the most consistent and active annual shower. In 2005, viewing of the shower was restricted due to a full moon washing out the fainter meteors. This year's viewing (that is, 2006) should be better, although still somewhat restricted by the moon.
See also
External links
- [International Meteor Organization's Meteor Calendar]
- [2004 Geminids]
- [Geminids 2002]
- "[Weird Geminids]," NASA, 7 December 2001
- Google group search for [Geminids], sorted by date
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