WEST MICHIGAN — It's that time of year yet again! The Geminid meteor shower is expected to peak in West Michigan the night of December 13th into the morning of December 14th. The best viewing time will be 2 a.m. Tuesday morning. However, there are a few factors working against Michiganders. Clouds are building into the region for Monday night, along with the moon's brightness. The moon will be 78% full, according to American Meteor Society. While Monday night into Tuesday morning will be the peak, the Geminid meteor shower is anticipated to continue through December 24th.
According to NASA, "The Geminids are caused by debris from a celestial object known as 3200 Phaethon whose origin is the subject of some debate. Whatever the nature of Phaethon, observations show that the Geminids are denser than meteors belonging to other showers, enabling them to get as low as 29 miles above Earth’s surface before burning up."
The Geminid meteor shower is known to be the most active of the year, with 100 to 150 meteors per hour, according to Space.com.
If you take any photos, share them with the FOX 17 Weather Team.
