Shooting stars: Geminid meteor shower set to light up the UK skies

Shooting stars: Geminid meteor shower set to light up the UK skies this week.

The stunning shooting star display will begin this week and can be seen with the naked eye from the UK so stargazers will not need binoculars or telescopes.

NASA will be live streaming the event for those who are not able to watch it peak on Monday night. Lead for NASA‘s Meteoroid Environment Office Bill Cooke commented on braving the cold to see the show.

He stated: “Rich in green-coloured fireballs, the Geminids are the only shower I will brave cold December nights to see.”

This year’s Geminid meteor shower could wow stargazers with more than 100 meteors an hour. During the shower, the shooting stars will be multi-coloured due to traces of metals including calcium and sodium.

According to space.com: “The Geminids are considered one of the best meteor showers every year because the individual meteors are bright, and they come fast and furious. In 2020, because the shower’s peak coincided with the new moon, the Geminids proved to be one of the most spectacular meteor showers of the year. Although it is best visible from the Northern Hemisphere, Geminid meteors can also be spotted from the Southern Hemisphere.”

The source of the shooting stars is the 3200 Phaethon asteroid and the stream of debris that trails behind it.

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