SOURCE OF THE GEMINIID METEOR SHOWER: 3200 PHAETHON

3200 Phaethon (pronounced FAY-eh-thon) is considered the source of the annual Geminid meteor shower, thanks to its well-defined orbit. While comets are the source of most meteor showers, 3200 Phaethon is a different case. With an orbital period of 1.4 years, this celestial body is categorized as a near-Earth asteroid and is being carefully monitored.

Due to the asteroid's rocky nature and its close orbit to the Sun, its surface overheats. The sunrise point (English: perihelion) extends into the orbit of Mercury. In this telescopic image, 3200 Phaethon, speeding past the faint background stars of the constellation Perseus, has left a short trail over a two-minute exposure time. However, their “children”, observed during the meteor shower caused by the asteroid, flare up and disappear much more quickly.

This impressive “family portrait,” The peak of the Geminid meteor shower was recorded on December 13, 2017, just three days before the asteroid's historic close passage to Earth. This year, the peak of the Geminid meteor shower will take place on the night of December 13. However, the bright full moon light may make faint meteors harder to see.