NASA considers this week’s meteor shower one of the ‘most reliable.’ When to see it in PA
“One of the best and most reliable” annual meteor showers, the Geminids, will take place this week. Central Pennsylvania stargazers could see up to 30 to 40 meteors per hour, according to NASA, depending on weather conditions.
The shower will begin around 10 or 11 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 13, NASA says, and will peak around 7 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 14. If you’re up at 2 a.m. Wednesday, you may see more meteors, but it’s possible to spot Geminids until Saturday, Dec. 17.
“The show will last for most of the night, so you have multiple opportunities to spot the brilliant streaks of light across our sky,” NASA’s website reads.
When the weather is perfect and the shower is at its peak activity level, you can spot anywhere from 100 to 150 Geminids per hour, NASA reports. But this week’s waning gibbous moon will interfere, reducing visible meteors.
NASA offers these stargazing tips to improve your experience:
Find an area away from the city and streetlights.
Bundle up and lie flat on your back with your feet facing south.
It will take approximately 30 minutes for your eyes to adjust and see the meteors. Refrain from looking at your cell phone or other bright objects to keep your eyes adjusted.
The 2022 Geminid meteor shower began Nov. 19, and it originates from 3200 Phaethon, which NASA describes as an asteroid or possible “rock comet.”
Geminid meteors travel about 22 miles per second or 79,000 miles per hour, according to NASA. The Geminids first appeared in the mid-1800s, and they are bright and typically yellow. The meteor shower gets its name from the Geminids’ radiant, Gemini, which is where meteors appear to come from.
The Central Pennsylvania Observers hold free public Skywatches throughout the year at parks in the State College area. Events have recently been held at Tom Tudek Memorial Park and Oak Hall Regional Park.
You can also check out the online Night Sky Network to search for stargazing events near you.
