Meteor shower, full moon to light up California sky soon. Here’s how to watch
Stargazers across California can catch a glimpse of two astronomical wonders this weekend.
A major meteor shower is expected to blaze through California’s night sky at the same time a nearly full moon is on display.
The Geminid meteor shower will peak from Friday, Dec. 13, to Saturday, Dec. 14, according to NASA.
The meteor shower has been active since Nov. 19, but Friday night and early Saturday morning will be the best opportunity to view the Geminids, according to NASA spokesman Preston Dyches.
Here’s what to know about the celestial displays:
Where do meteors come from?
Meteors are leftover particles from comets and broken asteroids, according to NASA.
As comets orbit the sun, they leave dusty trails behind them.
When Earth passes through these trails of debris each year, the bits of dust collide with Earth’s atmosphere, causing meteors to burn up and create “fiery and colorful streaks” in the night sky, NASA said on its website.
What is the Geminid meteor shower?
The Geminid meteor shower peaks in mid-December every year and is considered to be “one of the best and most reliable” annual meteor showers, according to NASA.
The shower began appearing in the mid-1800s and is a result of an asteroid known as 3200 Phaethon, NASA said.
Even though the 2024 Geminid meteor shower will be active until Dec. 24 — Christmas Eve — it will peak Friday night into early Saturday morning.
“During its peak, 120 Geminid meteors can be seen per hour under perfect conditions,” NASA states.
The meteors are bright, fast and typically yellow in color when they flash across the sky, according to NASA.
How to watch the meteor shower
If you’d like to observe the Geminid meteor shower, keep your eyes towards the sky during the night and predawn hours.
According to NASA, the shower presents a great viewing opportunity for children since it starts around 9 or 10 p.m.
The Geminids appear throughout the evening up until dawn, NASA said.
NASA advised stargazers to go to an area far from city or street lights to catch the best meteor shower show possible.
“Come prepared for winter temperatures with a sleeping bag, blanket or lawn chair,” the space agency said on its website. “Lie flat on your back with your feet facing south and look up.”
Under these ideal conditions — including clear weather — viewers will be able to glimpse more than one meteor per minute across the California sky.
What is the cold moon?
According to the Old Farmer’s Almanac, the full moon appears on Saturday, Dec. 14.
In December, the full moon is most commonly called the cold moon.
It’s a Mohawk name that “conveys the frigid conditions of this time of year when cold weather truly begins to grip us,” the Old Farmer’s Almanac said on its website.
December’s full moon is also known as the drift clearing moon, frost exploding trees moon, snow moon and winter maker moon, according to the website.
When’s the best time to see December’s full moon?
In California, the full moon will be at its highest point in the sky in the minutes right before midnight on Saturday, according to the Almanac.
Will the full moon interfere with the meteor shower?
A nearly full moon will significantly reduce the number of meteors you will be able see in the night sky, according to the American Meteor Association.
However, even though fainter Geminids will be lost under the full moon’s glow, there will still be plenty of brighter meteors sparkling across clear skies, Space.com said on its website.
This story was originally published December 13, 2024 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Meteor shower, full moon to light up California sky soon. Here’s how to watch."
