A rain of shooting stars expected this week

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The géminides, a meteor shower that occurs every year in the month of December, should reach their climax during the night of Wednesday to Thursday.

QMI agency

Sunday, December 10, 2017 13:40

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Sunday, December 10, 2017 13:42

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The Earth will pass through an important meteoric rain over the next few days, possibly one of the most spectacular of the year.

The géminides, a meteor shower that occurs every year in the month of December, should reach their climax during the night of Wednesday to Thursday.

A multitude of shooting stars from the debris of a comet long since extinct will then be observable if the sky is sufficiently clear. According to CTV News, it will be possible to see more than 120 shooting stars per hour. They cross the sky at a speed of 35 kilometers per second.

These meteors are made of dust and particles, and become luminous when they enter the Earth’s atmosphere before disintegrating.

The cosmic phenomenon is visible everywhere on the planet, but especially in the northern hemisphere.

According to NASA, the show is expected to be especially beautiful this year since the moon will be thin. The stars will then be put in value by the darkness.

The géminides can be seen with the naked eye, but it is preferable to observe them in a place where the sky is very dark.