Geminid Meteor Shower 2018: When, Where and How to see LIVE streaming; All you need to know
Geminid Meteor Shower 2018: Brace up to witness a beautiful show of green fireballs tonight, which will be the last and the strongest meteor shower of the year. The world witnesses a handful of meteor showers every year, however, the Geminid meteor shower is the most captivating one. Sky gazers can watch Geminid meteor shower display on Thursday and Friday. The Geminids are active every December, when Earth passes through a massive trail of dusty debris shed by a weird, rocky object named 3200 Phaethon. The dust and grit burn up when they run into Earth’s atmosphere in a flurry of “shooting stars.” Phaethon’s nature is debated. It’s either a near-Earth asteroid or an extinct comet, sometimes called a rock comet. There is another object – an Apollo asteroid named 2005 UD – that is in a dynamically similar orbit to Phaethon, prompting speculation that the two were once part of a larger body that split apart or collided with another asteroid.
What is Meteor shower, When and Where to watch Live streaming | India Time details
Meteor shower:
When rocks and dust particles from space are about to collide with Earth's atmosphere, they are called meteroids, while those that streak through the atmosphhere are called meteors.
Generally, comets, which are chunks of ice having lots of dust come close to the Sun. By the Sun’s radiation, the ice melts and the dust and rocks are left behind along the orbit of the comet. If the Earth, in its yearly motion around the Sun happens to pass through such a trail of debris of dust particles, the small dust particles enter the Earth’s atmosphere with considerable speed.
By friction in the atmosphere, the particles then burn up and give rise to not only a single bright streak in the sky but numerous meteors called meteor showers.
Where to watch Geminid Meteor Shower 2018:
You can watch it under the sky through naked eyes or get Live Streaming via NASA
Geminid Meteor Shower 2018: When will the display of fireballs be witnessed
The best time to witness the rare celestial event will be on Thursday and Friday night, when it reaches its peak. According to Sky and Telescope magazine, the ideal time will be right before dawn on Friday, December 14, which is the peak of the peak. According to NASA meteor expert Bill Cooke, the best time to view the Gemini is around 2am local time. The moon will be first quarter, so it will set around midnight, there will be no moonlight to interfere with the Geminids this year, it said.
India is expected to get a good view of the celestial spectacle this year. The Northern Hemisphere is expected to see the highest number of Gemini rates.
How to See Geminids:
To see the Geminid Meteor Shower 2018, you don't need to have any special equipment, except a clear sky. Points you should know to see a Geminid meteor shower:
1. Find yourself a secluded viewing spot, away from the city lights. Your eyes will take at least 25-30 minutes to adjust to the darkness.
2. If you are planning to stay out for long, get yourself comfortable clothing and chair, blanket if needed. And all this planning because meteor watching can be a waiting game.
3. Once your eyes have adjusted to the darkness and you are at the viewing spot, look up in the direction of the radiant. However, it will depend as to where will the radiation's direction be in the sky at the specific time.
