Tools and materials<\/strong><\/h2>- The British Astronomical Association (BAA) meteor section report form (download here<\/a>)<\/li>
- A clipboard<\/li>
- A red light torch<\/a><\/li>
- A star atlas<\/a> to identify the faintest star you can see<\/li>
- Warm clothing! The Geminids are in December and so it will be cold<\/li>
- A deckchair or sunlounger so you can comfortably sit back and look up at the sky<\/li>
- An accurate clock to record the times of observations<\/li>
- Food and a hot drink that will keep you going in the cold early hours<\/li><\/ul>
What is the Geminid meteor shower?<\/strong><\/h2><\/div><\/div>All meteor showers are produced by either a comet or an asteroid<\/a> that we call the parental body.<\/p>The Geminids are caused by 3200 Phaethon<\/a>, an Apollo-type asteroid that orbits the Sun every 1.4 years.<\/p>3200 Phaethon has a rather eccentric orbit.<\/p>
The furthest it gets from the Sun is a distance of 2.4 AU (aphelion) but its closest distance (perihelion) is just 0.1 AU: closer to the Sun than the planet Mercury.<\/p>
3200 Phaethon has the distinction of being the only asteroid in the Solar System to get this close to the Sun!<\/p>
While it\u2019s in the inner Solar System, heat from the Sun causes particles to escape from the surface of Phaethon and fly away into space.<\/p>Illustration showing asteroid Phaethon being heated by the Sun. Credit: NASA\/JPL-Caltech\/IPAC<\/figcaption><\/figure>Eventually, these particles collide with Earth; they burn up as they hit the atmosphere, causing a glowing trail, or what we call a meteor or \u2018shooting star\u2019.<\/p>
Since Earth is colliding with a cloud of particles, the meteors appear to us to come from one direction in the sky.<\/p>
This is called the ‘radiant’ and the location of the radiant gives the name of the shower.<\/p>
The radiant for meteors in the constellation of Gemini<\/a> gives the shower its name: the Geminids.<\/p>You’ll find the radiant for the Geminids near the twin stars Castor and Pollux<\/a>.<\/p>![\"Chart](\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2022\/12\/geminid-meteor-shower-2023-chart-1024x742.jpg?fit=800%2C580\")
Chart showing the location of the radiant of the Geminid meteor shower 2023. Credit: Pete Lawrence<\/figcaption><\/figure>Observing meteor showers for science<\/strong><\/h2>Meteor showers are a good opportunity for astronomers to study their parental bodies, so amateur observations are welcomed by organisations like the British Astronomical Association<\/a> (BAA).<\/p>If, for example, analysis of the observations reveals that the radiant has shifted, this could indicate orbital changes.<\/p>
We can also infer how active the parental object has been during its passage into the inner Solar System.<\/p>
How to observe<\/strong><\/h2>![\"Stargazers](\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2020\/07\/Perseid-meteor-shower-2020-6b8a053.jpg\")
Stargazers observe the Perseid meteor shower over the Saskatchewan Summer Star Party, Canada, 10 August 2018. Credit: VW Pics\/Universal Images Group via Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>Useful observations of meteors require an organised meteor watch.<\/p>
You can look for meteors on your own, but it’s common to observe in groups, one member acting as a recorder and filling in the form as observers call out their sightings.<\/p>
The report form at the link in ‘tools and materials<\/a>‘ above is available electronically, so you can print it out and use it during your session.<\/p>Although the Geminids have a Zenithal Hourly Rate (ZHR) of over 100 meteors an hour, this number can be misleading since it assumes optimum viewing conditions.<\/p>
What is the Geminid meteor shower?<\/strong><\/h2><\/div><\/div>All meteor showers are produced by either a comet or an asteroid<\/a> that we call the parental body.<\/p>The Geminids are caused by 3200 Phaethon<\/a>, an Apollo-type asteroid that orbits the Sun every 1.4 years.<\/p>3200 Phaethon has a rather eccentric orbit.<\/p>
The furthest it gets from the Sun is a distance of 2.4 AU (aphelion) but its closest distance (perihelion) is just 0.1 AU: closer to the Sun than the planet Mercury.<\/p>
3200 Phaethon has the distinction of being the only asteroid in the Solar System to get this close to the Sun!<\/p>
While it\u2019s in the inner Solar System, heat from the Sun causes particles to escape from the surface of Phaethon and fly away into space.<\/p>Illustration showing asteroid Phaethon being heated by the Sun. Credit: NASA\/JPL-Caltech\/IPAC<\/figcaption><\/figure>Eventually, these particles collide with Earth; they burn up as they hit the atmosphere, causing a glowing trail, or what we call a meteor or \u2018shooting star\u2019.<\/p>
Since Earth is colliding with a cloud of particles, the meteors appear to us to come from one direction in the sky.<\/p>
This is called the ‘radiant’ and the location of the radiant gives the name of the shower.<\/p>
The radiant for meteors in the constellation of Gemini<\/a> gives the shower its name: the Geminids.<\/p>You’ll find the radiant for the Geminids near the twin stars Castor and Pollux<\/a>.<\/p>Chart showing the location of the radiant of the Geminid meteor shower 2023. Credit: Pete Lawrence<\/figcaption><\/figure>Observing meteor showers for science<\/strong><\/h2>Meteor showers are a good opportunity for astronomers to study their parental bodies, so amateur observations are welcomed by organisations like the British Astronomical Association<\/a> (BAA).<\/p>If, for example, analysis of the observations reveals that the radiant has shifted, this could indicate orbital changes.<\/p>
We can also infer how active the parental object has been during its passage into the inner Solar System.<\/p>
How to observe<\/strong><\/h2>Stargazers observe the Perseid meteor shower over the Saskatchewan Summer Star Party, Canada, 10 August 2018. Credit: VW Pics\/Universal Images Group via Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>Useful observations of meteors require an organised meteor watch.<\/p>
You can look for meteors on your own, but it’s common to observe in groups, one member acting as a recorder and filling in the form as observers call out their sightings.<\/p>
The report form at the link in ‘tools and materials<\/a>‘ above is available electronically, so you can print it out and use it during your session.<\/p>Although the Geminids have a Zenithal Hourly Rate (ZHR) of over 100 meteors an hour, this number can be misleading since it assumes optimum viewing conditions.<\/p>
The Geminids are caused by 3200 Phaethon<\/a>, an Apollo-type asteroid that orbits the Sun every 1.4 years.<\/p> 3200 Phaethon has a rather eccentric orbit.<\/p> The furthest it gets from the Sun is a distance of 2.4 AU (aphelion) but its closest distance (perihelion) is just 0.1 AU: closer to the Sun than the planet Mercury.<\/p> 3200 Phaethon has the distinction of being the only asteroid in the Solar System to get this close to the Sun!<\/p> While it\u2019s in the inner Solar System, heat from the Sun causes particles to escape from the surface of Phaethon and fly away into space.<\/p> Eventually, these particles collide with Earth; they burn up as they hit the atmosphere, causing a glowing trail, or what we call a meteor or \u2018shooting star\u2019.<\/p> Since Earth is colliding with a cloud of particles, the meteors appear to us to come from one direction in the sky.<\/p> This is called the ‘radiant’ and the location of the radiant gives the name of the shower.<\/p> The radiant for meteors in the constellation of Gemini<\/a> gives the shower its name: the Geminids.<\/p> You’ll find the radiant for the Geminids near the twin stars Castor and Pollux<\/a>.<\/p> Meteor showers are a good opportunity for astronomers to study their parental bodies, so amateur observations are welcomed by organisations like the British Astronomical Association<\/a> (BAA).<\/p> If, for example, analysis of the observations reveals that the radiant has shifted, this could indicate orbital changes.<\/p> We can also infer how active the parental object has been during its passage into the inner Solar System.<\/p> Useful observations of meteors require an organised meteor watch.<\/p> You can look for meteors on your own, but it’s common to observe in groups, one member acting as a recorder and filling in the form as observers call out their sightings.<\/p> The report form at the link in ‘tools and materials<\/a>‘ above is available electronically, so you can print it out and use it during your session.<\/p> Although the Geminids have a Zenithal Hourly Rate (ZHR) of over 100 meteors an hour, this number can be misleading since it assumes optimum viewing conditions.<\/p>Observing meteor showers for science<\/strong><\/h2>
How to observe<\/strong><\/h2>
![\"A](\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2023\/08\/observe-meteors-on-sun-lounger-1024x786.jpg?fit=800%2C614\")
![\"A](\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2023\/12\/geminid-meteor-shower-tonight-1024x683.jpg?fit=800%2C534\")