COLORADO SPRINGS – One of the best and brightest meteor showers arrives this week, the Geminid meteor shower! Different from the Perseid meteor shower we see in August, the Geminids should deliver a more vibrant and exciting show, if you can handle the cold.
Fun facts about the Geminid Meteor Shower:
The Geminid meteor shower peaks every year in mid December and is considered to be one of the best and most reliable annual meteor showers. The Geminids started showing up in the 1800s with around 10 to 20 meteors per hour. Since then, the shower has grown to a current peak of 120 meteors per hour!
The Geminids tend to be fast moving and often burn with a bright yellow color. Each meteor moves approximately 79,000 mph or 22 miles per second!
How to view the meteor shower:
A good meteor shower for young kids to see, the meteor shower will begin around 9 to 10 pm Thursday night. The Geminids will peak around 2 am, at which point we should have no problem seeing 120 meteors per hour.
Be sure and allow at least 30 minutes for your eyes to adjust to the night skies. Go out to the darkest area you can find, away from city and street lights for the best viewing conditions. Lie on your back with your feet facing south, and take in as much sky as possible.
Thursday night forecast:
The forecast, luckily, seems to be perfect for start gazing Thursday night as the shower peaks.
We’re expecting clear skies and light winds all night. Be sure and bring your heavy coats, because a light wind and clear sky is the perfect recipe for a cold night. Lows are expected to bottom out in teh upper teens at their lowest in Colorado Springs, and the low teens down by Pueblo.
