The Perseids are lovely, peaking in mid-August with swift and plentiful fireballs, and October’s Orionids are a delight with their smoky, long-lasting trails. But real meteor-heads look forward to December when it’s time for the Geminids, the strongest annual shower in terms of rates with more than 100 shooting stars zipping by every hour.
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The 2024 Geminids meteor shower will peak overnight on Dec. 13 to Dec. 14 and, to celebrate, the Chabot Space & Science Center in Oakland is holding a watch party for kids and adults. Gather on the center’s observation deck to observe the busy skies and get all your astronomical questions answered by experts — where do the Geminids come from? (Asteroid 3200 Phaethon.) How big are they (pretty much grains of sand) and what might they taste like (perhaps clay or metal)?
The viewing conditions aren’t 100 percent optimal this year, with a waxing-gibbous moon providing interference, but the Geminids’ trademark light-bright meteors should still make the show a blast. Note: Bring warm clothing and optional blankets, chairs or sleeping bags.
Details: Event takes place 11 p.m.-3 a.m. on Dec. 13 at 10000 Skyline Blvd., Oakland; tickets are $15 for adults and $7 for ages 2-12, chabotspace.org.
