This December will be one for the books as stargazers are in for a treat with not one, but two spectacular meteor showers. The Geminids, considered by many to be the best shower of the year, is set to light up the night sky from December 7th to the 17th, with a peak on the nights of December 13th and 14th. Expect to witness up to 120-150 shooting stars per hour, which are bright, fast, and white, but occasionally take on a greenish hue due to their high levels of magnesium and nickel.
But that's not all - the Ursids, a smaller meteor shower, is set to streak across the sky from December 17th through Christmas. Although its peak will be lower than the Geminids', with only 10-20 shooting stars per hour on the longest night of the year, it still promises to put on a show.
The celestial calendar also presents an exciting opportunity to catch a glimpse of planets and winter constellations over New York City. The waning crescent moon phase will make for ideal stargazing conditions during the Geminids' peak, while the waxing crescent moon will align with Saturn on December 26th, creating a stunning sight in the night sky.
And then there's the year's last full moon, which falls on December 4th and will also be a supermoon - a rare alignment of the moon's perigee (its closest point to Earth) and syzygy (the point at which it is between the sun and Earth). This phenomenon results in the moon appearing about 10% bigger and brighter than usual.
Last but not least, Orion the Hunter will be making its return, heralding the start of winter nights. The constellation's distinctive star pattern, featuring bright Alnitak, Alnilam, and Mintaka, along with Betelgeuse and Rigel, is a sight to behold. And for those willing to venture outside of the city, Inwood Hill Park offers an excellent spot to view the Orion Nebula Cluster - a stunning stellar nursery visible to the naked eye.
So mark your calendars and get ready to make some wishes upon shooting stars, as this December promises to be one for stargazers of all ages.
But that's not all - the Ursids, a smaller meteor shower, is set to streak across the sky from December 17th through Christmas. Although its peak will be lower than the Geminids', with only 10-20 shooting stars per hour on the longest night of the year, it still promises to put on a show.
The celestial calendar also presents an exciting opportunity to catch a glimpse of planets and winter constellations over New York City. The waning crescent moon phase will make for ideal stargazing conditions during the Geminids' peak, while the waxing crescent moon will align with Saturn on December 26th, creating a stunning sight in the night sky.
And then there's the year's last full moon, which falls on December 4th and will also be a supermoon - a rare alignment of the moon's perigee (its closest point to Earth) and syzygy (the point at which it is between the sun and Earth). This phenomenon results in the moon appearing about 10% bigger and brighter than usual.
Last but not least, Orion the Hunter will be making its return, heralding the start of winter nights. The constellation's distinctive star pattern, featuring bright Alnitak, Alnilam, and Mintaka, along with Betelgeuse and Rigel, is a sight to behold. And for those willing to venture outside of the city, Inwood Hill Park offers an excellent spot to view the Orion Nebula Cluster - a stunning stellar nursery visible to the naked eye.
So mark your calendars and get ready to make some wishes upon shooting stars, as this December promises to be one for stargazers of all ages.
️ I mean, 120-150 stars per hour?! that's crazy! and the fact that we get to see planets like Saturn too? amazing! 
but you know what would make it even better? if they had some decent weather forecast to match... who needs sunshine when you can have a clear night sky 
. And can you believe there's another show coming in just a few days? The Ursids might not be as intense, but it's still gonna be cool to see some meteors streaking across the sky.
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. It's days like these that remind me how small we are in the grand scheme of things, but also how connected we are to the universe 
. Also, can't wait to see that supermoon on the 4th! It's gonna be EPIC 
. Anyone planning on venturing out for some celestial gazing?
The Geminids r like the best shower of the yr, with up to 120-150 shooting stars per hour! Can u even imagine? 
I wanna stay up all night with my kids and watch it together! 
That's gonna be so cool! We should plan a stargazing party with our friends and make some wishes upon shooting stars! 
! like i know december can get crazy busy but honestly, a good meteor shower is just what we need right now to take our minds off things 
️. plus, the geminids are gonna be INSANE with up to 120-150 shooting stars per hour 
. btw, orion is back and it's time to get cozy by the fire 
. The thought of watching up to 120-150 shooting stars per hour is just too cool - I know they'll be mesmerized by it all! And can't forget about the other celestial events like the year's last full moon and the return of Orion the Hunter... it's going to be a star-studded night to remember 
. On a more celestial note, it's gonna be a great time for stargazing with those meteor showers coming up 
. And don't even get me started on the state of the environment... just look at all those wildfires and pollution issues 
. Anyway, I guess if you're into that sorta thing, grab a warm drink, head outside, and enjoy the Geminids or Ursids meteor shower 
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Interesting how the waning crescent moon phase will make it even better for stargazing during the Geminids' peak 
. Anyway, so there's this huge meteor shower coming up and I guess it's kinda cool 
. The Geminids are supposed to be the best part of the year or whatever, but 120-150 shooting stars per hour sounds kinda overhyped 
. And what's with all these astronomy puns? It's just a bunch of rocks burning up in space, guys 
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still super stoked for the geminids and orion sighting tho!
, which always brings out the kid in me. I'm thinking of heading out to Inwood Hill Park to check out the Orion Nebula Cluster 