Pray for a break in the clouds this weekend, because the best meteor shower of the year has arrived.
Stargazers lucky enough to find themselves under dark, clear skies this week will be able to get a good look at the Geminid meteor shower, typically the strongest meteor shower of the year, which will be peaking Saturday night.
Found streaking from their namesake constellation, Gemini, the meteors are expected to number about 40 to 50 per hour, according to NASA. The meteors are pieces of an asteroid called 3200 Phaethon, named for the mythical son of Greek sun god Helios.
The Geminid meteor shower is active from Dec. 4 to 17, peaking the night of Dec. 13 into 14. It’s one of the only annual meteor showers with good visibility before midnight, with the bright, colorful meteors visible from 10 p.m. onward, according to the American Meteor Society.
Meteor showers are visible without binoculars or telescopes. All it takes is darkness and a little patience to see the shooting stars streaking across the sky.
With a waning crescent moon this year, there won’t be much moonlight to drown out the meteors. In Oregon, the moon won’t rise until well after midnight this weekend, allowing for dark skies that let the meteors take center stage.
Everything is aligning for a good viewing of the Geminids this year – even (shockingly!) the weather.
Pacific Northwest stargazers rarely get a chance to see the Geminids, thanks to the thick blanket of clouds that tends to cover up the region in late fall. And with yet another atmospheric river bringing heavy rains to the region this week, it would be natural to assume that this year will be another disappointment.
But don’t put away those binoculars just yet. According to the National Weather Service, clouds are expected to thin starting this weekend, just in time for the big show. While the Willamette Valley might be too socked in, skies in eastern Oregon might be clear enough to spot a few meteors. Forecasts for Bend are calling for partly cloudy skies on Thursday and Friday nights, and it’s even better out in Lake County (home of the Oregon Outback International Dark Sky Sanctuary), where skies are expected to be mostly clear.
If you’re up for a little road trip, this could be one of the best chances in years to see the phenomenal Geminid meteor shower in Oregon.