[ad_1]
CHICAGO (CBS) — Wednesday night will be clear and perfect for viewing Geminids meteor shower in the Chicago area as high.
The conditions are clear this week, and CBS 2 Chief Meteorologist Albert Ramon said that Tuesday night will also be a new moon. Therefore, the lack of moonlight will also provide a dark night for viewing the meteor shower.
Ramon also noted that moving away from light pollution increases the chance of seeing the Geminids.
Of the Geminids, is considered one of the best and most reliable meteor showers of the year. The action began on November 19, but the astronomical display will continue until December 24, with a peak from Wednesday night until Thursday morning. . Bathing usually starts at 9 or 10 pm
The Adler Planetarium said The luminary – the part where the Geminid meteor shower appears to come from – is near Pollux and Castor, the two brightest stars in the constellation Gemini. But the Geminid meteors all move across the sky from the bright side, Adler said.
Under a clear, dark sky, up to 100 meteors per hour can be seen, Adler said.
Adler recommended finding a place away from the light, facing east, and giving your eyes at least 20 minutes to adjust to the darkness before looking for the meteor shower.
NASA goes so far as to advise lie on your back on the ground with your feet facing south and look up, while waiting for 30 minutes for your eyes to adapt.
In any case, while the weather will be very warm for the rest of the week – and not as cold Wednesday night as the last few nights – it will remain low. in the low 30s Wednesday night in Chicago and in the 20s downtown. Whether you’re standing up or lying on your back to watch the Geminids, you’ll need a warm sweater.
The Geminids are usually the most powerful meteor of the year, with a rate of 120 meteors per hour under perfect conditions, according to NASA. Of the Leonidaswhich peaked in November, with about 15 meteors per hour.
Most meteor showers are caused by comets, but the Geminids come from them 3200 Phaethon, an asteroid. The asteroid acting like a “strange” comet..
The first annual meteor shower appeared in the mid-1800s. At that time, there were 10 to 20 meteors per hour, but the shower has grown significantly in the years since then.
NASA scientists say Geminids are bright, fast and usually yellow in color. Most meteors appear to be colorless or white, Bill Cooke, who heads the Meteoroid Environment Office at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, said in a NASA blog post.
The Geminids will move across the sky at a speed of 22 miles per second.
Meteors are space rocks that enter Earth’s atmosphere, according to NASA. They are hot when they fall to the ground and look like shooting stars. The light beam is bright, heating the air as the meteor speeds through the Earth’s atmosphere.
As the sky moves every night, there are many meteor showers each year. During the meteor shower, many meteors hit the Earth’s atmosphere in a short period of time. Most meteors burn up in space. The few that survive the journey through the air and reach the ground are called meteorites.
Adam Harrington
