Heads up! One of the most highly anticipated meteor showers will be visible across the Nevada night skies soon and you’ll want to be sure not to miss it. The Geminid meteor shower is often regarded as one of the year’s brighest and best displays of shooting stars, and it occurs every December. Although the nearly full moon may complicate visibility for this year’s showers, you should still be able to see plenty of meteors racing across the sky. Check out the details below and start making plans to get out there and see this shower for yourself this year.
Are you ready for what’s been dubbed the king of all meteor showers? The Geminids will be making their annual appearance very soon and all astronomy enthusiasts in Nevada should definitely make a note of it.
Henry Lee/Flickr
Often regarded as the year’s most fantastic display of falling meteors, the Geminid meteor shower is a favorite among many for its abundance of brightly-colored meteors. This year, the meteor shower is expected to peak on the evening of December 13-14, 2019.
Trevor Bexon/Flickr
Fascinatingly enough, the Geminid meteor shower is nearly 200 years old! It was first observed in 1833 from a riverboat on the Mississippi River, and it’s made a yearly appearance ever since.
Beau Rogers/Flickr
In fact, many scientists note that the meteor shower is actually getting stronger with each year that passes. This is because Jupiter’s gravitational pull forces many of the shower’s particles closer to Earth each time it passes.
nate2b/Flickr
On the night of the Geminid’s peak, stargazers can look up at the night sky and see a mesmerizing display of meteors flying through space. Typically, the meteors are best seen around 2:00 a.m., although many will be visible as early as 9:00 p.m.
Tom Lee/Flickr
Although the Geminids appear to emerge from the Gemini constellation (hence their name), you’ll be able to spot the meteors all across the night sky on the night of their peak and perhaps for a few nights after. All you have to do is find a spot with little to no artificial light and look up with your bare eyes.
NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center/Flickr
Thankfully, we live in a state where the night skies are as pristine as can be, and this makes for excellent stargazing conditions. Don’t miss out on the meteor shower of all meteor showers and be sure to catch the Geminids this month.
NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center/Flickr
What do you think? Are you excited for the Geminid meteor shower? There are so many great destinations in our state where you can look at the night sky, but you’ll definitely want to consider visiting This One Small Town In Nevada That Was Named The Best Place To Stargaze.
Henry Lee/Flickr
Trevor Bexon/Flickr
Beau Rogers/Flickr
nate2b/Flickr
Tom Lee/Flickr
NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center/Flickr
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