Muscat – Get ready for a spectacular show in the skies over Oman as the Geminid meteor showers are set to dazzle on Thursday. Named after the constellation Gemini, the Geminid meteor shower will peak on the night of Wednesday, December 13, until the dawn of Thursday, December 14.
Ibrahim bin Mohammed al Mahrouqi, Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Oman Astronomical Society, expressed excitement about the upcoming astronomical events in December, highlighting the Geminid meteor shower as one of the year’s best. He mentioned that these meteors offer a stunning display on a dark night, free from moonlight, throughout the entire night.
The Geminid meteor shower is expected to produce around 120 meteors per hour. In 2020, the members of the Omani Astronomical Society observed a remarkable scene, monitoring a total of 1,063 meteors during six hours of observation. The peak of the shower occurred between 1:00 and 1:59, with a remarkable count of 227 meteors within a single hour.
Al Mahrouqi explained that the Geminid meteor shower originates from the debris of an asteroid named ‘Phaethon,’ which was discovered in 1982. Unlike other meteors that originate from comets, this particular shower results from the remains of Phaethon. The debris from the asteroid enters the Earth’s atmosphere annually between December 7 and 17, creating colorful meteors. As the Earth’s orbit directly intersects with the debris, the fragments burn at temperatures of around 35 degrees Celsius per second, at an altitude of approximately 70 to 100 kilometers. These meteors are relatively slow compared to others, forming long arcs that grace the sky in magnificent shades of yellow, green, or blue for a brief moment.
With these breathtaking displays of nature, the Geminid meteor shower provides an opportunity for stargazers and astronomy enthusiasts to witness the beauty of the universe. Clear your schedules and prepare to be amazed as the Omani skies light up with the magical Geminids.
