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When, where, and how to watch Geminid meteor shower a celestial firework

Just in time for a visually treating December, Geminid meteor shower might be the most magical phenomenon we would witness this year. The Geminid meteor shower is an annual phenomenon but this year is special for it would be the best shower ever.

According to NASA’s Meteoroid Environment Office, Bill Cooke, “With August’s Perseids obscured by bright moonlight, the Geminids will be the best shower this year. The thin, waning crescent moon won’t spoil the show.”

Meteor showers are caused by comets. The Geminid meteor shower is caused by an asteroid 3200 Phaethon, which makes it easy to see a lot of fine dust grains catching fire as they enter Earth’s atmosphere. Hence, Phaethon is also known as a ‘rocket comet’!

So, where you can watch this “once-in-a-while” moment?

The Geminid meteor shower will be visible from anywhere in the world. However, people would need to move a bit away from the city glare and pollution to a more quaint and darker place.

According to NASA, the meteor shower will be most beautifully visible between 7:30 p.m on December 13 and dawn the morning of December 14, with most meteors visible from midnight to 4 a.m. on December 14 Indian Standard Time (IST).

If you happen to be under a clear sky, you will be able to witness the shower every minute or two on average. And in case you happen to be stuck at work or it’s a cloudy day at your latitude, NASA has got you covered!

You can stream the meteor shower live starting at sunset from its Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama.

The Virtual Telescope Project 2.0 will broadcast it through its remotely controlled robotic telescope.

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