Bashkortostan residents will see brightest meteor shower

This week will bring residents of Bashkortostan a rare astronomical phenomenon to a close: the peak of the most spectacular winter meteor shower, the Geminids. This annual meteor shower reaches its peak intensity on December 14th and promises to delight observers with an incredible number of meteors.

The Geminid meteor shower is one of the most intense, second only to the Perseid meteor shower in August and the Quadrantid meteor shower in January. Its distinguishing feature is the large number of bright fireballs that leave a beautiful green trail, stunning viewers with their majestic glow.

The Geminid radiant is located in the constellation Gemini, near the bright star Castor. Peak activity occurs in the evening hours, when streams of light will rapidly cut through the night sky, like the trails of cosmic particles burning up in the Earth's atmosphere. Nighttime meteor viewing is available almost everywhere, from early evening until morning twilight. The optimal time to view the peak is early morning, around 3:00 a.m., when the radiant reaches its maximum height above the southern horizon. The Ufa Planetarium reports that the moon is absent and will not rise until around 4:00 a.m., making viewing more favorable.

Author: Alfia Agliullina