Geminid Meteor Shower

On the night of December 13-14 stargazers would normally be preparing themselves for a cold night of observing the most consistent and reliable of all meteor showers, the Geminids. Unfortunately the bright Full Moon (on the 12th) will prevent all but the brightest of these shooting stars from being seen.

It's quite a shame the Moon will spoil the view since one can usually begin observing right after sunset and perhaps see the peak of activity before midnight.

While the peak rate can approach 100 to 120 meteors per hour, you'll only be able to catch a few of the brighter meteors as they blaze through our atmosphere at 21.75-miles per second. More than likely you'll only see the exploding meteors called fireballs.

So check the sky out every half hour or so to see if you can spot a Geminid or two despite the interfering moonlight. You might get lucky and see one as it brilliantly disintegrates high above your head. Just don't forget to duck if it seems to be coming directly at you!

Good luck with the December Geminids.

And finally, the Winter Solstice occurs at 7:04 am EST on December 21. Notice how far south the Sun arcs across the sky on this day.

Please note that Seagrave Observatory in North Scituate will be closed on Saturday, December 6. Also refer to our web site at http://www.theskyscrapers.org for snow/ice cancellations.

Happy holidays and clear skies to you all.