TYLER, Texas — A spectacular meteor shower will be lighting up the skies this December.
The Geminids meteor shower peaks Dec. 12 to 13, according to the American Meteor Society. The Geminids are revered among sky watchers as one of the strongest meteor showers of the year. Under perfect conditions, the astronomical event can spit out around 120 meteors per hour, as noted by NASA.
The Geminids are known for their brilliant yellow and green flashes. These bright streaks are actually pieces of debris burning up as they fall through Earth's atmosphere. The debris are bits and pieces that have broken off of the asteroid 3200 Phaethon. The bright streaks appear to radiate from the constellation Gemini, which is how they received the name “Geminids."
Beautiful flashes splattered the skies Thursday night; however, people may have struggled to see them in East Texas. A nearly full moon will wash out the flashed of the falling meteors. Additionally, clouds may obscure our skies.
NASA recommends getting away from outside light sources for the best viewing experience. That means try avoiding city light pollution, bright light bulbs and phone screens. It may take a some time for a person's vision to adjust to the dark, so be patient.
For anyone who missed the Geminids' peak activity Thursday, the shower is active until Dec. 21. The next major meteor shower is the Ursids, which will peak Dec. 21 to 22.
Happy meteor watching!
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