Geminid Meteor Shower Peaks Over Michigan December 13

Michigan skywatchers anticipate one of the year's best meteor showers with between 40-50 shooting stars expected to be visible during the event's peak.

Here's how you can catch one of the biggest celestial events of the year:

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Make sure you've got plenty of wishes ready because the annual Geminid Meteor Shower is set to peak above Michigan this December 14th & 15th, but you could start seeing shooting stars in your backyard as early as-- now!

Well, wait, I take that back. Our last Supermoon of the year, the Long Nights Moon, could block out any small meteors passing by. However, the Geminid Meteor Shower is expected to last from December 4th through the 20th. According to Space.com,

Geminid meteors will appear to streak away from a patch of sky in the constellation Gemini close to the bright star Castor, which can be found rising above the eastern horizon a few hours after sunset in December, shining to the upper right of the gas giant Jupiter...The waning crescent moon will rise at around 2 a.m. local time on Dec. 14, making it more of a challenge to spot fainter members of the annual shower.

What a way to welcome in the winter solstice on December 21st! Unfortunately, as much as I hate to admit it, what they say is true! Cooler nights really do create better conditions for stargazing. Why is that? As The Weather Channel explains,

Winter’s colder night skies hold less hazy moisture than warm summer skies. This means that there are generally fewer night clouds in winter, leaving the skies crisp and clear.

Did you know: Michigan is home to 10 designated dark sky parks including Dr. T.K. Lawless Park right here in Southwest Michigan?