{"id":52807,"date":"2023-12-12T15:03:59","date_gmt":"2023-12-12T15:03:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/1403f709-131d-4402-83ec-9f8b1f351b57"},"modified":"2023-12-12T15:32:34","modified_gmt":"2023-12-12T15:32:34","slug":"photograph-the-geminid-meteor-shower-with-our-top-tips","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcskyatnight\/rss_feed\/photograph-the-geminid-meteor-shower-with-our-top-tips\/","title":{"rendered":"Photograph the Geminid meteor shower with our top tips"},"content":{"rendered":"

Top tips to help you increase your chances of capturing a Gemind on camera. <\/p>

By Pete Lawrence\n <\/p>

Published: Tuesday, 12 December 2023 at 15:03 PM<\/p>

\n\n

If you’ve ever wanted to photograph the Geminid meteor shower<\/a>, 2023 is the year to do it.<\/p>

In this guide we’ll reveal how you can increase your chances of capturing a Geminid meteor on camera.<\/p>

The Geminid meteor shower reaches its peak in the middle of December and this year there\u2019s no Moon to spoil the show.<\/p>

If the skies remain clear, this is a fantastic opportunity to capture a meteor on camera.\u00a0<\/p>

Viewing or photographing a meteor is a statistical game: anything you do to tip the odds in your favour will boost your chances of catching a trail with your camera.<\/p>

Thankfully, the steps you can take are all fairly simple to implement.<\/p>

For more advice, read our guide on how to photograph a meteor shower<\/a> and our pick of the best equipment for photographing meteors<\/a>.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>

Geminid meteor shower by Parisa Bajelan, Alamut Valley, Alborz, Iran, 14 December 2020. Equipment: Canon 6D DSLR (modified), Canon 16\u201335mm lens, Manfrotto MT190CXPRO4 tripod<\/figcaption><\/figure>

Aim to photograph Geminids during peak activity<\/strong><\/h2>

Meteors occur throughout the year, but at certain times the expected number increases.<\/p>

Such periods occur when Earth passes through a comet<\/a>\u2019s orbital debris stream, an occurrence that creates a meteor shower.<\/p>

These streams tend to be wide, creating enhanced activity over a period as short as several days or as long as several weeks.<\/p>

It\u2019s in the centre of the passage that activity rises to a crescendo: the peak of the shower\u2019s activity.<\/p>

Find out more about this in our guide to what causes a meteor shower<\/a>.<\/p>

\"A
A Geminid meteor streaks across the night sky over Saltburn-by-the-Sea, UK, 14 December 2018. Credit: Ian Forsyth\/Getty Images.<\/figcaption><\/figure>

Setting up to photograph the Geminid meteor shower<\/strong><\/h2>

Set your camera up when there is no shower active and your chances of capturing a meteor are not zero, but they aren\u2019t too high either.<\/p>

Do the same thing when shower activity has begun and your chances are much better.<\/p>

Set up on the night of maximum Geminid activity and your odds will peak.<\/p>

Not all showers are the same, however.<\/p>

Although the peak of a mid- to low-rate shower does improve your odds, the amount of improvement won\u2019t be as much as if you\u2019re photographing during the peak of a high-rate shower.<\/p>

\"Chart
Chart showing the location of the radiant of the Geminid meteor shower 2023. Credit: Pete Lawrence<\/figcaption><\/figure>

Geminid meteor activity<\/strong><\/h2>

The Geminids is one of the highest-rate showers of the year, with a Zenithal Hourly Rate (ZHR) of 120 meteors per hour.<\/p>

Impressive though this sounds, the actual number of meteors you can expect to see will be lower than this.<\/p>

The ZHR is the predicted rate under perfect skies with the radiant \u2013 the point in the sky from which the shower meteors appear to come \u2013 directly overhead.\u00a0<\/p>

Another plus for the Geminids is that the peak is broad, activity remaining high for the nights before and after the predicted peak date of 14 December.<\/p>

This means a session on 13\/14, 14\/15 and 15\/16 December will give you an elevated chance of catching something.<\/p>

\"Avoid
Avoid light pollution to increase your chances of photographing a Geminid.. Credit: Liz Mitchell \/ EyeEm \/ Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>

Photograph away from unwanted light<\/strong><\/h2>

Meteor visibility is improved by the darkness of your sky. If you\u2019re in a location suffering from light pollution, picking somewhere darker will help, although this may not always be practical.<\/p>

The absence of the Moon this year will definitely help, though, and is a big natural boost to those all-important odds.<\/p>

The absence of its bright glow is the reason why this year\u2019s shower is described as favourable. Next year, the balance will shift so that the Geminids will be unfavourable.<\/p>

The weather is another important factor.<\/p>

Haze, thin cloud or just clouds will all affect the odds of capture.<\/p>

A perfectly clear sky is best of course, but photography can still be done under less perfect conditions, the chances of capturing a trail simply reduced as a consequence.\u00a0<\/p>

In our step-by-step guide opposite we look at some of the setup considerations if you want to photograph the Geminid meteor shower this year.<\/p>

We’ve put an emphasis on how to keep your odds of success as high as possible.\u00a0<\/p>

\"The
The Geminids is one of the most prolific meteor showers of the year. Credit: Pete Lawrence<\/figcaption><\/figure>

Equipment for photographing the Geminid meteor shower<\/strong><\/h2>