In the Know: Geminids meteor shower
MANILA, Philippines—Considered one of the best and reliable annual meteor showers, the Geminids can be seen from almost any point on Earth during mid-December each year.
These meteors are fast and bright, and tend to be yellow in color with an average rate of 120 meteors per hour at its peak.
It first appeared in the mid-1800s, but the first showers were unimpressive with a mere 10 to 20 shooting stars per hour.
Since then the Geminids have grown in intensity, making it one of the most spectacular annual showers.
The Geminids are the most massive of all the debris streams Earth passes through every year, according to Nasa astronomer Bill Cooke.
He called the Geminids the 900-lb “gorilla” of meteor showers with a velocity of 35 km per second.
In this Dec. 13, 2012, file photo, a meteor streaks across the sky during the annual Geminid meteor shower over Springville, Alaska. The annual Geminids meteor shower—the most intense of the year—will peak Friday night, Dec. 13, 2013. But the best viewing may be early Saturday, once the moon sets. AP PHOTO/AL.COM, MARK ALMOND
But unlike most meteor showers that come from comets, the Geminids originated from an asteroid, the 3200 Phaethon. Researchers concluded that the Geminids were ejected dust as a result of breakdown of surface rocks whenever Phaethon nears the Sun.
Geminids showers are best viewed during the night and predawn hours, and are visible across the globe.—Rafael L. Antonio, Inquirer Research
Sources: Nasa, Pagasa
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