On the night from Wednesday to Thursday, a spectacular shooting of stars can be observed in the sky as the Geminids meteor shower arrives. In favorable weather, we can count up to one hundred and fifty shooting stars per hour.

Several meteor showers can be observed from Earth each year, of which three stand out: the Perseids in August, the Quadrantids in January, while the Geminids meteor shower causes a spectacular starfall in December.

Gemini get their name from the fact that shooting stars appear to run across the sky from the direction of the constellation Gemini.

A special celestial phenomenon will be observed on Wednesday, in the evening hours, so it is worth looking for a place away from the city lights. In Budapest, Harmashátar Hill could be a convenient location for this. You will see meteors high in the sky standing eastward – readable In Svábhegyi Csillagwyszálgóló blog.

See also  István Ujeli fell to the floor between three chairs

You will find a great recording of last year’s event Click through to our previous article.

Shooting stars, or meteors, consist of dust particles and pieces of rock that rush through space at cosmic speeds, many times the speed of a spaceship. Upon encountering Earth in the upper atmosphere, it ionizes particles and creates a long, bright ion channel. We see this as a shooting star. Although scattered meteors are always visible, on certain days of the year Earth encounters clouds of dust that are blown away by the orbit of comets, causing spectacular meteor showers and shooting stars. The most famous, but not the richest, of them in August are the Perseids.

According to the astronomers’ statement, the Geminids are a real cuckoo egg in this regard, because the falling stars of the meteor shower come not from a comet, but from an asteroid. The main target of the meteor shower is (3200) Phaethon, which was found in 1983, an asteroid five and a half kilometers in diameter. Its uniqueness lies in the fact that it also exhibits comet-like characteristics for being an asteroid. As it approaches the Sun in its path, it brightens strongly and emits a plume, as it “blows” the Geminid meteor shower.

According to the researchers’ hypothesis, as soon as (3200) Phaethon approaches the sun, its surface heat will heat up to the extreme, which is related to a phenomenon similar to mud cracks at the bottom of dry lakes on Earth. In such cases, cracked bits of rock and dust can leave the surface, form a plume, and feed the Geminid swarm.

If you want to know similar things other times, like it The HVG Tech department’s Facebook page, which also reports on scientific discoveries.




HVG

Order the weekly HVG newspaper or digitally and read us anywhere, anytime!


The number of editorial offices independent of the authorities is constantly decreasing, and those that still exist are trying to stay afloat in a headwind that is getting stronger every day. At HVG, we persevere, do not give in to pressure, and bring local and international news every day.

See also  Note: “I am happy to cause sleepless nights for defenders” - Puskas striker will end the year in the top three

That’s why we ask you, our readers, to support us! We promise to keep doing the best we can!