Science & Nature
Geminids Meteor Shower Peak Likely to Be a Letdown Thanks to Cloud Cover in Chicago and the Moon
The Geminids meteor shower, seen in 2012. (Stephen Rahn / Flickr Creative Commons)
Chicagoans have been treated to some surprising celestial events this year, including a rare viewing of the northern lights. But one of the most reliable annual sky shows is looking to be a dud in 2024.
The Geminids meteor shower, which peaks in mid-December every year, is typically highly anticipated, with its blazing fireballs streaking across the sky fast and furious and bright.
This year, though, the shower’s peak on Friday night into early Saturday morning happens to coincide with a nearly full moon. And the moon is as much, if not an even greater, source of light pollution in the night sky as a major city like Chicago.
Layer on the cloud cover forecast for Chicago and the chance of seeing the Geminids becomes even less likely.
Per the Adler Planetarium: “Finding a way to block the moon from your sky-view may help visibility, but overall, this will be a down year for viewing this meteor shower due to the moonlight interference.”
How do you block the moon? The folks at NASA recommend “sitting in the shade of a house or tree while also maintaining a view of the open sky.”
For people who, against all the odds, want to give Geminids watching a try anyway and are willing to brave the cold, the best viewing time will be around 2 a.m. Though the Geminids are named for the constellation Gemini, from which they seem to radiate, the meteors can and will appear anywhere in the sky.
Give your eyes a half-hour to adjust to the dark, be patient and — here is perhaps the most challenging tip to follow — don’t look at your phone (it defeats the purpose of adjusting your eyes).
The Geminids will be active for another week or so, but with fewer and fewer visible meteors.
Contact Patty Wetli: @pattywetli | (773) 509-5623 | [email protected]