Shooting star hunters and onlookers can expect a special spectacle in the evening sky in the coming days. “With theoretically up to 150 meteors per hour, the Geminids are considered the richest stream of the year,” said the Association of Star Friends. The peak of the meteor shower is expected in the evening sky on December 14th around 8 p.m.
“In practice, depending on how bright the night sky is, you will see 30 to 60 meteors, i.e. a shooting star every one to two minutes.” Shortly before Christmas the Ursids arrive. If the weather is right, they can be best observed around midnight on the night of December 22nd to 23rd.
If you want to see the richer stream of Geminids, you have to look east in the evening. According to the star friends, very bright objects will also be visible, provided the weather cooperates. The meteors appear to originate from the constellation Gemini. The constellation is in the south during the night and in the northwest in the morning. “As soon as it gets dark, you can look for them,” said the star friends. The new moon will not emit any disturbing light.
When it comes to the weather, however, the German Weather Service in Offenbach offers little hope. “The chances are poor,” the service said. Compact cloud cover is expected in the south. Otherwise you have to be lucky that the clouds break up every now and then. But there is no region in which really good opportunities can be predicted.
According to star enthusiasts, the reason for the Geminids’ shower of shooting stars is that the Earth is passing through a cosmic dust cloud. This probably comes from the minor planet Phaethon, which may have broken up and left debris in its orbit that is now burning up in the Earth’s atmosphere.