On Wednesday 13 December, pieces of the Earth’s atmosphere will be bombarded by fragments of an asteroid. Astronomy Ireland will be assembling in the Phoenix Park, and many other locations nationwide to watch the event. The barrage has occurred at this time of year since 1860, but has steadily increased in intensity since then. The culprit, a 5km wide asteroid, was first discovered in 1983. 3200 Phaethon is in fact the asteroid that travels closest to the Sun. It will have a close shave itself with our planet on 14 December 2093, but for the next 80 years or so it’s chips of the old block that represent the biggest threat.

What we’ll see on Wednesday is a meteor shower that’s become known as the Geminids meteor shower, named after the constellation Gemini, from which these blazing bolides appear to originate. People looking up on Wednesday should expect to see bright streaks in the sky, up to one roughly every 20 to 30 seconds. These ‘shooting stars’ occur when pea-sized fragments slam into our atmosphere at 35 km per second, burning up at heights of 100km.

This is the best meteor shower of the year, with one or two blazing across the skies each minute. Many Geminid fireballs leave trains; a spectacular sight!

Astronomy Ireland’s Geminid watches take place nationwide, in Dublin, Carlow, Clare, Cork, Dundalk, Clonmel, Waterford and Wexford (see below for details) where we will be setting up telescopes to many other sights to the public as well. Admission is free and all are welcome (except impacting meteorites, that is).

The Dublin Geminids Watch is at the Papal Cross Car Park, 8pm on Wednesday 13 December. Nationwide events occur at the following venues, all at 8pm –

Co.Carlow - IT College Carlow – Contact Gerry Moloney (087) 9184000

Co. Clare - Kilmihil - Angus Sealy (087) 2308428

Co. Cork, Ballyphehane Community Centre - Contact Martin Lynch (087) 2404104

Co. Louth Dundalk - Derek Watters (086) 0806908

Co. Tipperarary, Clonmel, Dunnes Stores Car-Park, NB:Davis Road (Waterford Road) branch, Contact Ray Parle (051) 842957 or 052-21892

Co. Waterford, - Contact Liam Walshe (087)2329103

Co. Wexford,  - Contact Oliver Gargan (086)3592956

ASTRONOMY IRELAND  -  for telescopes and information

www.astronomy.ie    or   call (01) 847