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29 March 2024

Last meteor shower of 2014 to light up UAE skies: How to watch

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Published
By Bindu Rai

The UAE skies will light up again this weekend, as the last meteor shower of 2014 streaks across the atmosphere in a celestial spectacle on Friday and Saturday.

The Geminid meteor shower may have already commenced in its trajectory, but the cosmic display will peak on December 12 and 13, shooting up to 120 meteors per hour.

The Dubai Astronomy Group is hosting a free public event for skywatchers to catch the Geminid meteor shower at the Qasr Al Sarb Resort, Liwa, Abu Dhabi on both nights.

Enthusiasts can arrive as early as 9pm at the desert resort, tucked away in the Rub Al Khali or The Empty Quarter, but experts say due to the moon playing a bit of a damper, the best display of meteors would be visible between midnight and 3am on both nights.

What is Geminid?

The annual celestial event is one of the most anticipated meteor showers on the yearly calendar, with Geminid getting its name from the Gemini constellation from where it projects. 

However, unlike other meteor events that originate from a comet beyond Neptune, asteroid 3200 Phaethon or a ‘rock comet’ is the source for Geminid, whose orbit places it between Mars and Jupiter.

Resembling a comet, Phaethon also emits a tail of dust in its wake, with its orbit placing it in Earth’s path every December, usually between 7 and 17 of the month, causing the night sky to light up in a haze of meteors and a few fireballs.

Where else can I see it?

Those of you who don’t fancy a weekend outing to the Abu Dhabi desert enclave can also head out of the city, away from the bright lights, and hunker down for a celestial display in the early hours after midnight.
In case you are wondering where to look, the Geminid will be visible to the left of the Orion belt, or the constellation of three stars.

The Gemind meteor shower’s peak can also be enjoyed from the comfort of your home, as the Slooh Community Observatory in the US broadcasts it online on Saturday late night or Sunday morning 7am UAE time.

However, those attending the DAG event in Abu Dhabi will also have the opportunity to look through telescopes at celestial objects such as the Moon, Jupiter, their conjunction and more.

The DAG will also setup a makeshift planetarium at the event, which will provide insights into the night ahead along with videos and facts with live presentations about the celestial spectacle.