Source: ET
Subject: Science and Technology, Geography
Context: The Geminid meteor shower is set to peak over India between December 13–15, 2025, offering up to 100–120 meteors per hour under dark skies.
About Geminid Meteor:
What it is?
- The Geminids are an annual meteor shower observed every December, known for their high meteor rates, bright fireballs, and slow-moving streaks, making them among the most spectacular celestial events visible from Earth.
Origin:
- Unlike most meteor showers that originate from comets, the Geminids arise from the asteroid 3200 Phaethon, a rocky body with a highly elliptical orbit around the Sun.
- Extreme solar heating causes Phaethon to shed debris, which Earth encounters each year, producing the meteor shower.
Why it occurs?
- The shower appears to radiate from the constellation Gemini, which rises higher in the sky after midnight, increasing meteor visibility.
- Earth passes through the dense debris stream of 3200 Phaethon between mid-November and late December, with peak activity in mid-December.
- The phenomenon is visible globally, with better rates in the Northern Hemisphere, including India.
Key Characteristics:
- Peak rate: Up to 120 meteors per hour under dark, clear skies
- Colour: Often yellow or white, sometimes producing bright fireballs
- Speed: Moderately fast (~35 km/s), slower than Perseids
- Observation: Best seen from midnight to pre-dawn, without telescopes
Significance:
- Scientific importance: Helps astronomers study asteroid-origin meteoroid streams and near-Earth objects.
- Public engagement: One of the most accessible astronomical events, promoting scientific curiosity and citizen science.
- Planetary defence insight: Understanding Phaethon improves tracking of potentially hazardous asteroids.
