But this year, the moon might dampen our celestial plans, leaving only a small window of a few hours to best watch the shower.
Perfect conditions for meteor shower viewing are moonless nights out in the countryside where there’s no light pollution. But as it’s a full moon this weekend, visibility will be poorer, even if you head an hour out of the city.
Source: SBS News
“What the full moon does is it puts a lot of natural light pollution up in the sky, and so it hides the meteors,” Horner said.
This means that the smaller meteors, which produce less light, won’t be as easily visible to the naked eye. But you might still be able to see the bigger parts of the meteor, which burn brighter due to their size.
A small window of opportunity
“The moon doesn’t have to be perfectly set, but as the moon gets closer to setting, the sky will get darker, and you’ll start to see more of the meteors.”
When is the best time to watch the Geminid meteor shower?
“At that time of the night with the moon out of the way, that’s when you’ll get the best show.”
Moon set times across Australia
- Sydney – 4am
- Melbourne – 4.14am
- Brisbane – 3.08am
- Adelaide – 4.18am
- Canberra – 4.03am
- Darwin – 4.43am
- Hobart – 3.16am
- Perth – 3.31am
What can I expect to see during the Geminid meteor shower?
Darwin will be the premium viewing spot with about 48 estimated meteors per hour on Saturday morning. Brisbane will reach an estimated 37 meteors per hour, while Perth will get 32.
While you can watch the shower outside of these times, the further away you get from the Saturday morning peak, the fewer meteors you’ll see.
Tips for the best Geminid viewing experience
While it might not be as good of a shower as previous years, Horner recommends a few things that will help increase your chances of catching a few meteors in the sky.
- Look in the right direction: Try to look west of due north. A good signpost can be locating the bright red Mars in the sky and then placing it slightly left in your vision.
- Reduce light pollution: If possible, try to get away from the city to reduce your light pollution. Horner also recommends picking a spot where you can slightly block out the moon to reduce natural light pollution. This might mean setting up behind a building or a tree.
- Arrive 30 minutes prior and stay for at least an hour: Try to arrive 30 minutes before the moon is setting and sit back, relax and enjoy the show (ideally for an hour).
- Take something to lie on: Protect your neck by bringing a blanket and cushions to lie on or a chair that folds back further.
- Take a friend: Horner said meteor showers are best enjoyed with company. “It’s always more fun if you’ve got someone to share it with.”
- Plan ahead: While this year might not have optimum conditions, Horner said next year’s Geminid meteor shower will be almost perfect as the moon will be out of the way. Consider this your practice attempt for next year — and consider booking a camping trip around it.