12/07/2025
Circle the date and clear your schedule! This Saturday night (13th) and Sunday morning (14th) should be an incredible peak to the annual Geminids meteor shower. The news likes to overhype every astronomy event, but you know I shoot straight. Don't miss this one!
The meteor rate is predicted to be near 150/hour. Now, the "shoot straight" part. That rate is in clear, very dark skies with a complete panoramic view of the sky. So, you might not be in those ideal conditions, and your rate might be lower, but if you can get clear skies away from city lights, turn off your flashlight and phone, and lay on your back for a while, you should still see so many.
Some people ask which way to look. I say "up". I'm not being sarcastic. Some media will tell you to look in the direction of the "radiant point". That's where the meteors appear to radiate from. But think about it. If you stare into oncoming traffic, you only see a quick glimpse. If you look at traffic from the side, you see each car better. So, if you're picking a direction, I'd say 90 degrees from the radiant point. But, seriously, on your back looking up at the sky will work well!
Me? I've been planning for this weekend for over a year, since I created the 2025 calendars and saw the predictions. My close friend and I are packing up all of our cameras and headed to an island several miles from the nearest artificial light source, facing the darkness of the Gulf of Mexico, in the 10,000 Islands area of Everglades National Park. Fishing, kayaking, and hopefully, lots of shooting stars!
Pictured: Geminids meteors falling over a Central MO conservation area during an epic 2020 event. At one point, there were over 200 per hour! I'm hoping for a similar event this year.
