The Metro Vancouver weather forecast won't offer ideal viewing conditions for the Geminid meteor shower's peak. However, locals can enjoy several viewing opportunities this month.
Rosanna Tilbrook, an astronomer at the H.R. MacMillan Space Centre, tells V.I.A. the shower will continue through Dec. 21, although it will wane in intensity as it moves from the peak (Friday, Dec. 13).
V.I.A.'s Downtown Centre Weatherhood station shows a 99 per cent chance of up to 30 mm of rainfall on Friday and Environment Canada has issued a wind warning for Saturday morning.
Friday's peak may see up to 115 meteors per hour, providing an electrifying display for anyone lucky enough to observe it. After the peak, the "frequency of meteors will tail off as Earth moves out of the line of debris coming off the asteroid," explains Tilbrook.
"It's this debris burning up in Earth's atmosphere which produces the bright 'shooting stars' seen in this meteor shower."
The Geminids are a "unique" shower originating from an asteroid
Unlike many meteor showers, the Geminids don't originate from a comet. Instead, the unique shower is produced from the break-up of an asteroid.
Nearly 200 years old, the Geminid Meteor shower offers earthlings a brighter display every year (depending on the moonlight). Space.com notes that this is due to Jupiter's titanic gravitational pull that has brought the stream of particles from the "shower's source, the asteroid 3200 Phaethon, and closer to Earth over the centuries."
While the shower originates from the constellation of Gemini, they are visible across the night sky.
"So, as long as you have a nice broad view of the sky, you'll see the show whatever way you're facing," she notes, adding that the highest frequency of meteors is around 2 a.m. "when Gemini is at its highest."
Tilbrook adds that several other planets are also visible during the shower. Jupiter is "very bright" and will be close to the shower's origin and near the moon.
"If you can grab some binoculars, you might even be able to see some of Jupiter's Galilean moons, which will look like between one and four little points of light circling the planet. One of these moons, Europa, is thought to have the right conditions for life under its surface," she explains.
"Earlier this year, NASA launched the Europa Clipper mission which aims to investigate this possibility. It's amazing to be able to look at this tiny dot of light in the sky and wonder about what might be living there."
Locals can also spot Venus in the west, Saturn in the east, and Mars rising in the east on the other side of the Gemini constellation.
Tilbrook says the planets appear to the naked eye as bright stars that don't twinkle.
"You should even be able to make out the red colour of Mars!" she remarks.
Tips for the 2024 Geminid Meteor shower in Metro Vancouver
Tilbrook advises locals to get as far from city lights as possible to view the shower. Dark skies make meteor viewing easier. Some options near the city include Spanish Banks, Point Grey, Burnaby Mountain, and McDonald Park (a little further out).
To fully enjoy the spectacle, here are a few more tips for meteor hunting:
- If you need to use a flashlight, place a red filter over the bulb (a red balloon will do in a bind). White light is very blinding and may affect your night vision.
- Dress warmly. It is still a good idea to bring warm clothes.
- Sit back and relax on a reclining chair or lie down on a blanket. Not only is it much more comfortable to observe the stars lying down, but you'll also see more that way.
- Pack a thermos of hot chocolate or coffee - it will come in handy if you start to drift off or get a little chilly.
- Be patient. It might take a while before you see your first shooting star. Don't be quick to give up...it's worth the wait.
Stay up-to-date with hyperlocal forecasts across 50 neighbourhoods in the Lower Mainland with V.I.A.'s Weatherhood.
