DECEMBER HIGHLIGHTS

The Geminids is one of the stronger and more consistent meteor showers, active from 4-17 December with a peak of around 24 hours on the 14th. Peak rates have historically reached as high as 120 per hour. Although best seen from the northern hemisphere, the shower has delivered great displays Down Under. The prospects for 2017 are reasonable, with the Moon not rising until 02:00 EST. The radiant is near mag. +1.9 Castor (Alpha (_) Geminorum) and crosses the meridian around 02:00 EST too.