In addition to the Geminid Meteor Shower, the International Space Station will be orbiting 250 miles above the UK. Santa’s Sleigh is on Christmas Eve. Telling your children that Santa Claus is hurrying to deliver the gifts might get them in the holiday spirit. Dec is an excellent month to stargaze. You just need to wrap up and gaze up at the night sky. Sky & Telescope says Comet Catalina appears to be running around a magnitude brighter than predicted. This is because it comes into view at dawn low in the east. Alan MacRobert believes it will glow at 6th magnitude as it rises into the eastern predawn sky in December and January. NASA states that comet Catalina is a comet which has primarily resided in the Southern Hemisphere skies. Because of its highly inclined orbit, it will soon be visible in the northern sky by December. Image: apod.nasa.gov. If you own a pair or small telescopes, it should not be difficult to see the comet. Just before sunrise, look within the constellation of Virgo. Comet Catalina turned around the Sun in November and is now rapidly approaching us. Vinita Domier, editor of The Davis Enterprise writes that Catalina, although not very bright and large, will still be easily found as it nears well-known objects in the sky. Catalina will appear to be close to Venus in the morning of Monday, December 7. Catalina will appear in conjunction with Arcturus, a bright star in the Bootes constellation, in the dawn sky on Jan. 1. It has come into our neighbourhood from the Oort cloud, an extended shell of icy objects that exist in the outermost reaches of the solar system up to 100,000 AU from the Sun. One AU refers to how far it is from Earth to the Sun. The orbital period of the comet was found to have been many million years. Scientists think it is now visiting the inner solar systems for the first-time. An annual Geminid Meteor Shower is coming soon. Earth will pass through debris from an asteroid named 3200 Phaethon, and the Geminid Meteor Shower should be there soon. Geminid, which is a comet-based celestial shower, comes from an asteroid. According to the UK Met Office, the Geminid meteor Shower begins on December 7, and continues until the 16th. It peak on the evenings of 13th & 14th. Image: Metoffice.gov.uk. The Geminids have a super power. NASA claims that up to 120 Meteors streak across Earth every hour when they are at their highest (the Met Office in the UK says only 50).). It is also reliable, occurring as often as clockwork. Look up to the heavens when it’s time. To catch the meteors, you don’t need to look for the Gemini constellation. The meteors will shine brightly throughout the sky, even though they start at Gemini constellation. You will only need a pair of glasses, hot beverages, clear skies, and warm clothing. The UK Met Office says that the Geminid Meteor Shower is expected to occur in December on both the 13th or 14th. “These meteor showers are often bright, and they have persistent shooting stars that last for a long time.” Geminid Meteor Shower is unique because it originated from an asteroid (not from a comet). NASA says that the Geminids in the United States will reach their peak on 14th Dec. You will still be able to get decent meteor rates from the evening before, and ending at 9:0_ PM. ISS will fly above UK on Christmas Eve. As the International Space Station orbits the Earth, the huge solar panels capture the Sun’s rays and make it glow brightly in space. It could be mistaken for Santa’s sleigh by British adults on Christmas Eve. VirtualAstro publishes space station positions often over Earth. It will rise in the west at 4:05 pm, according to VirtualAstro. 42 PM and at 4 .50pm in the South. VirtualAstro has asked all British children to watch out for Santa Claus and his sleigh Christmas Eve. VirtualAstro tweeted: (Image: http://twitter.com). VirtualAstro wrote on Twitter that the ISS will be visible as a bright, star-like object (or plane) when it passes overhead. It can sometimes be difficult to see at first but it gets brighter over time. It is important to verify where the station will rise. While younger children may be excited about Santa’s Xmas duties, they will also have the opportunity to learn more about astronomy and space travel. Met Office Video – Geminid Meteor Shower
