This December, sky gazers will be treated to a celestial spectacle like no other – two spectacular meteor showers, the majestic appearance of Orion the Hunter's winter return, and a supermoon that will illuminate the night sky.
The first of these events is one for the books: the Geminids meteor shower, which promises to deliver an incredible 120-150 shooting stars per hour on December 13th and 14th. This cosmic display will be visible across the globe, with bright, fast, and white meteors streaking across the night sky – some of which may even take on a greenish hue due to their composition.
But that's not all: just as the Geminids are in full swing, a second, smaller meteor shower – the Ursids – will begin its own spectacular display on December 17th and peak on the longest night of the year, the winter solstice on December 21st. While it won't be quite as potent as the Geminids, the Ursids promise to put on a show with 10-20 shooting stars per hour.
For those hoping to catch a glimpse of the celestial action without too much competition from the moon's bright light, luck is on their side – the moon will be in its waning crescent phase during the Geminids' peak and waxing crescent phase during the Ursids. This timing also offers a chance to spot planets and winter constellations, including the winter sky itself.
And then there's the supermoon, which will make the night of December 4th – just before the year draws to a close – one for romance and wonder. Though it won't be as bright or important for science as some might hope, this "freeze-your-a-- moon" still marks an impressive occasion: at its closest point to Earth, the moon is 10% bigger and brighter than usual.
Finally, no winter night would be complete without a visit from Orion the Hunter, whose majestic return signals the start of the season. For those in New York City (or beyond), the best viewing spots are plentiful – and with minimal light pollution, one can truly lose themselves in the starry expanse. So mark your calendars for this December's astronomical highlights, and get ready to chase shooting stars, supermoons, and winter constellations into the night sky.
The first of these events is one for the books: the Geminids meteor shower, which promises to deliver an incredible 120-150 shooting stars per hour on December 13th and 14th. This cosmic display will be visible across the globe, with bright, fast, and white meteors streaking across the night sky – some of which may even take on a greenish hue due to their composition.
But that's not all: just as the Geminids are in full swing, a second, smaller meteor shower – the Ursids – will begin its own spectacular display on December 17th and peak on the longest night of the year, the winter solstice on December 21st. While it won't be quite as potent as the Geminids, the Ursids promise to put on a show with 10-20 shooting stars per hour.
For those hoping to catch a glimpse of the celestial action without too much competition from the moon's bright light, luck is on their side – the moon will be in its waning crescent phase during the Geminids' peak and waxing crescent phase during the Ursids. This timing also offers a chance to spot planets and winter constellations, including the winter sky itself.
And then there's the supermoon, which will make the night of December 4th – just before the year draws to a close – one for romance and wonder. Though it won't be as bright or important for science as some might hope, this "freeze-your-a-- moon" still marks an impressive occasion: at its closest point to Earth, the moon is 10% bigger and brighter than usual.
Finally, no winter night would be complete without a visit from Orion the Hunter, whose majestic return signals the start of the season. For those in New York City (or beyond), the best viewing spots are plentiful – and with minimal light pollution, one can truly lose themselves in the starry expanse. So mark your calendars for this December's astronomical highlights, and get ready to chase shooting stars, supermoons, and winter constellations into the night sky.
The Geminids meteor shower is gonna be insane with 120-150 meteors per hour on Dec 13th & 14th 
, and the Ursids will still put on a great show too 
. And can we talk about how lucky we are that the moon will be in its waning crescent phase during Geminids? 
That means we'll get to see those meteors in all their glory without the moon's bright light competing with them. Plus, it's a supermoon on Dec 4th 
which is always exciting! Orion the Hunter's return is also gonna be so beautiful 
. I'm planning on getting out of the city and finding a spot with minimal light pollution to take in the views. It's gonna be a magical night to remember! 
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. i mean, who needs actual romance when you can just gaze at the night sky with your significant other? lol. anyway, gotta love the old days when we didn't need all these fancy tech gadgets to see the stars... good times 
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. And don't even get me started on Orion, it's like the whole sky is setting up for this winter solstice display 
! two meteor showers = double the stargazing fun 
, and orion's back 
. supermoon on dec 4th tho? swoon 
and maybe even some greenish ones - that's like, whoa!! 
, like Geminids on Dec 13th-14th - 120-150 shooting stars per hour? That's insane! 
. And what's with the supermoon being all romantic and stuff? Can't we just appreciate it for its astronomical significance without getting all mushy 
. On a more serious note, I hope people aren't gonna get too caught up in trying to see all these events and end up staying out way too late, especially during the winter solstice when it's supposed to be our coziest time of year 
. I mean, yeah, it'll be 10% bigger and brighter, but is that really a big deal? Like, who's gonna notice that extra bit of brightness in their daily lives? 
and i wish im in nyc or somewhere with minimal light pollution so i can get the best view of orion the hunter's return 
i mean what more can you ask from nature, two spectacular meteor showers and a supermoon all in one month 
And then there's this supermoon thing, which is kinda cool, I guess... but will people actually be out stargazing or just taking selfies with the moon in the background? 
I mean, don't get me wrong, a bigger and brighter moon can be pretty neat, but it's not like it's going to change my life or anything. On the other hand, Orion the Hunter returning is always a highlight of mine... unless we're talking about how crowded it gets in NYC for the best viewing spots... 
And what about the Ursids meteor shower? Is it even worth getting excited about? 
. I do hope it's clear skies though, I don't want to ruin the magic for my little one 
! btw, has anyone else tried those new galaxy-themed sneakers that just dropped? 
. The timing of these events is pretty sweet too - can't wait to see how many shooting stars we can spot without the moon ruining the party 
. The supermoon on the 4th is also pretty cool, even if it's not as huge of a deal for science nerds like myself 
. All in all, December is shaping up to be an epic month for astronomy and I'm here for it 
. And don't even get me started on Orion, he's like a old friend coming back to visit. I wonder if we'll have any clear skies in LA this year, my cousin has this old telescope and it's always so cool to gaze through that...