The annual Geminid meteor shower comes back this month and will be the best meteor shower of the year, according to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
1. The peak is tonight
"Good rates (of meteors per minute) will be seen between 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 13 and dawn local time the morning of Dec. 14, with the most meteors visible from midnight to 4 a.m. on Dec. 14, when the radiant is highest in the sky," said Bill Cooke, NASA’s meteoroid environment officer.
2. View in all directions
The radiant of the shower is near the stars Pollux and Castor, but the meteors will dash out in all directions across the sky. The following is a star chart from the magazine Sky & Telescope showing how Geminid meteors will radiate.
3. Best places to view in Richmond
Try to get away from city lights to get the best view. Go somewhere dark with open sky, and give some time for your eyes to adapt to the dark. Here are the top three places to get the best view in Richmond:
Iona Beach Regional Park: Iona Beach is not only a hot spot for watching airplanes take off, but also one of the most spectacular sunset and meteor viewing locations in the Greater Vancouver area.
Garry Point Park: Grab a blanket and a thermos of something festive and enjoy a meteor shower viewing party at Garry Point Park located near Steveston Village.
Steveston waterfront: Along the waterfront, you’ll not only get a good view of the night sky, you can also take in the festive lights decorating many of the fishing boats in the harbour.
Here is a teaser video for the shower:
