Geminids meteor shower expected tonight

The peak of a meteor shower awaits stargazers from Wednesday night (Dec. 14) to Thursday morning (Dec. 15), the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said.

 

PAGASA said the annual Geminids meteor shower will reach its peak Wednesday night, with meteors or “falling stars” visible at a rate of 40 meteors per hour.

 

"However, a waning gibbous moon will be in the sky on the nights of this shower which will interfere with the show. The shower will appear to radiate from the constellation of Gemini, the Twin," PAGASA said.

 

Meanwhile, PAGASA said the sun will reach the winter solstice on Dec. 22 at 1:38 p.m.

 

The winter solstice is the point when the sun lies at its farthest point south of the equator. 

 

It signals the start of winter in the northern hemisphere and summer in the southern hemisphere.

 

"Philippine nights will be longer than daytime. Earth has now completed another annual circuit around the sun," PAGASA said. –KG, GMA News