Cooler but still well above normal this week

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I stepped outside for about 5 minutes late Tuesday night. In the first minute, I saw 3 colorful meteors streaking across the sky above me. Then it was quiet for a few minutes before I caught a 4th meteor zipping overhead. And it could get even better tonight.

 peaks tonight. And this could be one of the best viewing opportunities for Minnesota in years. The combination of no moon and clear skies should allow us to see more meteors streak across the sky overnight.

Here’s a guide on where to look and what you may see tonight.

Every year in mid-December, Earth passes through a debris stream from an asteroid named 3200 Phaethon. As tiny grains of sand-sized particles burn up in Earth’s atmosphere, we see the combustion trails streaking across the sky above us.

NASA estimates that the Geminids can produce up to 120 visible meteors per hour, making it the strongest annual meteor shower. 

The best way to see the most and brightest meteors tonight is to get away from city lights. Spend a few minutes in the dark skies to let your eyes adjust. Meteors could occur anywhere in the sky but may favor the northeastern sky.

You could see meteors any time of night, but the best viewing will generally be in the hours surrounding midnight.

Geminid meteors are often very bright. You might even see different colors because of the chemical makeup of the particles. Some have calcium, sodium, or nickel. So you could see hues of orange, yellow, or green. 

Skies over Minnesota should be clear tonight. Combine that with a moon that’s just 1 percent illuminated and you’ll have nearly ideal viewing conditions. 

Temperatures tonight will fall through the 30s in most areas, so you’ll clearly want to bundle up. But it could be so much colder this time of year, so we’re getting off lucky.

Weather and Climate News

Updraft® - Minnesota Weather News

Paul Huttner

Author

A new moon and clear skies could make for excellent viewing conditions.

Sky Show: Geminid meteor peak could dazzle tonight

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