Watch meteor shower light up Chennai skies tonight

Chennai: If you haven't seen the meteors coming crashing down the skies in the last few days, tonight will probably be the final opportunity as the Geminid Meteor Shower, often hailed as the 'King of Meteor Showers' is set to peak on the night of December 14 and the early hours of December 15.
Under ideal dark-sky conditions, observers may witness up to 100 meteors per hour. For Chennai and much of Tamil Nadu, this makes the Geminids one of the best astronomical events of the year, according to experts.

Tamilnadu Weatherman Pradeep John in his post X advised enthusiasts to head to dark, open areas away from city lights for optimal viewing. "The best time to watch is after midnight, allowing at least 20 minutes for eyes to adapt to the darkness. Meteors often appear in bursts followed by quiet intervals, so patience is key. No special equipment such as telescopes or binoculars is required — just a clear sky, comfortable seating, and an unobstructed view of the heavens," he said.

The Geminids have a unique history. First observed in the mid-1800s, the shower initially produced only about 10 to 20 meteors per hour and attracted limited attention. Over the decades, however, its intensity has steadily increased, making it one of the strongest meteor showers today. The only event that rivals it in popularity and visibility is the Perseid Meteor Shower, which occurs in August.

Unlike most meteor showers that originate from comets, the Geminids come from an asteroid — 3200 Phaethon. Discovered on October 11, 1983, using data from the Infrared Astronomical Satellite (IRAS) by astronomers Simon Green and John Davies, the object was initially named 1983 TB before being designated 3200 Phaethon. The asteroid follows a highly unusual orbit, passing extremely close to the Sun — even closer than Mercury — before travelling beyond the orbit of Mars. Each December, Earth passes through the debris trail left by this asteroid, resulting in the Geminid meteor shower.
However, S Soundararaja Perumal, former TNSTC executive director, said that meter showers are common and there will be up to four such occurrences in a year. Also, they are not special celestial events like eclipses. "Meteor showers can't be predicted and it may or may not become visible to our eyes due to various factors like clouds and urban lighting," he said.

But many enthusiasts posted videos of meteor shower they managed to caputure on their devices online. It maybe your chance tonight.