Geminid Meteor Shower Lights Up December Night Sky

Why in News

• The Geminid meteor shower peaked overnight on 13 December, producing a spectacular celestial display as debris from asteroid (3200) Phaethon entered Earth’s atmosphere.

About the Geminid Meteor Shower

• One of the most intense and reliable annual meteor showers.
• At its peak, up to 120 meteors per hour can be observed under ideal viewing conditions.
• Known for bright, fast, and often yellow-coloured meteors.

Origin of the Geminids

• Unlike most meteor showers that originate from comets, the Geminids come from an asteroid: (3200) Phaethon.
• Phaethon completes one orbit around the Sun in about 1.4 years.
• As Earth passes through the debris trail left by this asteroid, particles collide with the atmosphere and burn up.

What Causes Shooting Stars?

• Shooting stars are not stars but tiny fragments of rock or dust entering Earth’s atmosphere.
• Even particles as small as a grain of sand can produce bright streaks of light.
• Larger fragments can create fireballs, sometimes brighter than Venus.

Radiant Point

• The radiant of the Geminids lies in the constellation Gemini (the Twins).
• The meteor shower gets its name from this constellation.
• Gemini rises in the eastern to northeastern sky after sunset and climbs higher through the night, improving visibility.

Significance

• Offers astronomers insights into asteroid composition and debris streams.
• A popular event for skywatchers, marking one of the highlights of the astronomical calendar.

Sources: NASA & Mint