Last Chance This Year: Spectacular Meteor Shower Expected Tonight
With a new moon and clear skies expected Thursday night, this year's Geminid meteor shower should sparkle.
The final major meteor shower of the year, the Geminid meteor shower 2012, will peak overnight on Thursday, Dec. 13 into Friday morning and if you are willing to stay up late and drive away from the city's lights, you should be able to see a great show. NASA reports that the Geminids is a relatively young meteor shower, with the first sightings occurring in the 1830s with rates of about 20 per hour. Over time the rate of visible meteors has increased and now viewers can expect to see 80 and 120 meteors per hour at its peak. Earthsky.org reports viewers can begin to watch the Geminids starting at 9 or 10 p.m. on Thursday. The peak will likely be between 1 to 3 a.m. on Friday, Dec. 14. That’s when the shower’s radiant point is highest in …
