ROANOKE, Va. – Stargazers often look forward to this time of year, as it’s when the Geminid meteor shower reaches its peak. Don’t be surprised if you see a shooting star in the days leading up to next week, as this shower is currently active.
Peak activity is expected Sunday night into Monday morning, with NASA sometimes reporting close to 120 meteors per hour. EarthSky says that this shower ordinarily produces about 50 shooting stars per hour.
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Advantages
Some advantages to this shower is that you can start viewing it pretty early - around 9 or 10 p.m. The peak, however, is usually closer to 2 a.m. when the radiant point is higher in the sky.
Like any meteor shower, one advantage is that you won’t need any special equipment. That’s especially the case this year, as there will be a new moon. More dark sky to work with means the better chance of seeing more meteors.
Even still, you’ll want to bundle up and allow some time for your eyes to adjust. Patience is a virtue when it comes to watching meteor showers!
Disadvantages
One possible disadvantage could be the weather, as Your Local Weather Authority is tracking a slow-moving front in the area. This could mean clouds and rain during the peak. We’ll keep you posted on all platforms and hope that this front can clear the area sooner.