geminids – Klemen

Geminids 2015

The Geminids in 2015 are near optimal, with the Moon a waxing crescent in the night from Sunday to Monday December 14th, safely out of the way and 10% illuminated. The Geminids have a projected plateau of activity running from 1:00 UT to 23:00 UT on December 14th, with an expected maximum falling right around 12:00 UT.

Geminids 2014

Every year from 12. to 15. there is an increase in number of observable meteors as the Earth passes through the debris left by an asteroid known as 3200 Phaethon. Geminids are therefore somewhat unusual as meteor showers go. While most meteor showers are born from comets, the Geminids appear to be a leftover of an asteroid. In good conditions, away from street lights, up to 130 meteors can be seen per hour.

This year’s bad weather conditions continues throughout the month of December. I was able to observer the shower only one night. Bellow is the only brighter meteor that I was able to capture during the observation.

Geminids 2013

Geminids appear every year in mid-December, peaking around December 14th, when Earth passes through a stream of debris from comet 3200 Phaethon. Typically more than 100 meteors per hour stream out of the radiant in the constellation Gemini.

This year’s peak of the Geminid meteor shower was unfavourable because of nearly full Moon, that reduced the number of visible meteors. On the day of the maximum activity, between Moonset and dawn, there was a brief window of good visibility. During two hours of observing meteors, I caught about 25 of them on camera. Here is a selection of the brightest.

Geminids 2012

Geminid, image taken on 12. december 2012 at 22UT, Nikorr 18mm @ f/3.5, ISO1600, 70 s