Some studies have determined that the Geminid progenitor object is the potentially dangerous asteroid about five kilometers wide, type pha ( potentially harzadous asteroid ), named 3200 Phaethon. As it approaches the Sun, a dehydration process begins by which it expels material and dust, giving rise to a tail reminiscent of comets. For this reason it is also considered an active asteroid. When the Earth crosses the orbit of this asteroid, these disaggregated particles enter the atmosphere, giving rise to a luminous spectacle.
Every year there are several meteor showers worth witnessing and each one has its peculiarities. The Geminids are characterized by being abundant and of moderate speed, the meteors travel at about 35 kilometers per second. It begins at the beginning of December and lasts until the 17th. The nights with the highest meteoric activity will be those from 13 to 14 and those from 14 to 15, in which more than 100 shooting stars can be seen per minute (THC-Hourly Rate Zenithal) at its busiest time. The maximum frequency in recent years occurred in 2014 with 253 meteors per minute , according to the International Meteor Organization .
The Moon will be in a waxing phase and will set towards midnight. That will be a good time to see a Geminid with the naked eye or even photograph it with SLR cameras.
To easily locate them, the Society of Meteor and Comet Observers of Spain (SOMYCE) recommends observing at an angular distance of 30 degrees from the radiant, which is in the constellation Gemini. It is convenient to remember that 30 degrees is equivalent to little more than a palm of the hand. The constellations of Orion, Auriga or Taurus can be good points to look at.
Astronomy fans take advantage of these events to count meteors and report them to the International Meteor Organization (IMO), which is the body in charge of calculating the activity rates of meteor showers. If you wish to participate in this meteor counting campaign collaborating with the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias and the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, you can do so by downloading the Epicollec5 mobile application, and participating in the Star Counter program.
The meteor shower will be broadcast on the night from 14 to 15 from 10:30 p.m. by the online channel sky-live.tv, through cameras installed in the Teide Observatory, in the High Energy Observatory -HESS – in Namibia and in the municipality of Olivenza (Badajoz). This broadcast is part of the initiatives against light pollution of the European STARS4ALL project, whose purpose is to defend the right to a dark sky and denounce the negative impact of artificial night light.
Amadeo Aznar Macías is a member of the APT Observatories and Astronomy For All Group
