Meteor Showers Viewing Tip

geminids-constellations
Radiant: Gemini Meteor Showers
(Image credit: photopills.com)

Where to look?

  • Yes, you can see these meteor showers from ANYWHERE in the sky.
  • Providing it’s clear and dark, away from all the city lights.
  • The best place to start is between the radiant or “point of origin” of the meteor shower and the zenith (straight above you).
  • The radiant is where the flight course appears to start from.
  • If you look straight at the radiant for a meteor shower display, you will likely not see much of a tail on each “shooting star”.
  • See the Lists of Meteor Shower Meter, see the “date of maximum,” which shows when meteor showers will be the strongest.
  • Note that the “best viewing” times are usually predawn and late evening—when the radiant is highest in the sky for the night, or highest before sunlight obscures the view.
  • The time of the year for each shower is determined by when Earth’s orbit crosses the path of the meteoroids.
  • You don’t need any special equipment. In fact, binoculars do not work for meteor showers. The naked eye is best.
  • Spread a blanket on the ground or sitting on a beach-chair, and look up in the dark night sky.

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