Hundreds of shooting stars are once again lighting up the night sky across parts of England, in one of the last major meteor showers of the year.
The Geminid meteor shower was visible in the early hours of Saturday morning, with streaks of white were spotted from Northumberland to Somerset.
Striking photos from keen stargazers revealed the beautiful celestial scene, which will return to British skies on Saturday night into Sunday – and continue to be active until December 20.
The shower – one of the most active of the year – is currently peaking and stargazers are seizing the opportunity to potentially witness dozens of shooting stars in the space of just hours.
Photographer Lee Reid drove an hour from his home in Newcastle to Lindisfarne in Northumberland, where a clear patch of sky allowed him to watch the shower.
“I could actually see the meteors on drive up, and I was getting, obviously, quite excited,” Mr Reid said. “Lindisfarne seems to be my lucky spot… behind me was cloud but a big portion of the skies, at sort of 5.30am in the north east region was clear.
“It’s amazing because when you’re planning things for a few days and hoping and praying for some clear skies… so it’s good when a plan comes together.”
Known as a “meteor storm” due to the intensity of the shower, the Geminids are one of the “most spectacular meteor showers of the year”, physics research fellow Dr Minjae Kim at the University of Warwick said.
Alongside the Quadrantids, the Geminid meteor showers are they only which don’t originate from a comet. The shooting stars which you can see lighting up the night sky can be caused by asteroid particles as small as a grain of sand, Royal Museums Greenwich (RMG) said.
What’s the best way to see the Geminids?
The Geminid meteor shower has been known to produce a peak of more than 150 meteors per hour, according to RMG. In reality, the number which can be seen is significantly less.
Unfortunately for this year’s shower – which is peaking on 14th and 15th December – the moon is full, meaning viewing conditions aren’t favourable.
But it is still your best chance to see a meteor shower all year. The museum advises that you bring a comfy chair and wrap up warm, as watching meteors is ultimately a “waiting game”.
Binoculars and telescopes aren’t necessary as the meteors can be seen with the naked eye. But don’t expect to see them as soon as you step outside – you will need to wait for your eyes to adjust to the dark.
Don’t look at the moon or the stars. Instead, watch the darkest areas of the sky for the best chance of spotting a meteor.
Avoiding all light pollution around you – including street lights, roads, and your home – gives you the best chance of spotting a meteor. Although meteors are visible across the night sky, they will often appear to originate from the Gemini constellation, RMG added.
Find a wide open space to give you the largest possible view of the sky, get comfortable, and wait for the nighttime spectacle to begin.
