Bundle up and watch one of the best meteor showers to see before the year ends.
According to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration, an average of 40 meteors per hour can be observed during the peak of Geminids meteor shower Friday night until early Saturday morning.
Meteors can be seen under a dark and cloudless sky and just after midnight of its peak activity, PAGASA said.
Facing the eastern horizon, the shooting stars will originate from the Gemini constellation about 15 degrees above the horizon.
The Geminids meteor shower is significantly different from other meteor showers as it does not originate from a comet but from an asteroid, the 3200 Phaethon.
PAGASA pointed out that meteors from this shower are very rocky and gritty and slightly easier to see compared to other showers.
These slow-moving meteors were first observed in 1862, much more recently than other showers.
It is thought that the showers have been intensifying every year and recent showers have seen 120-160 meteors per hour under optimal conditions, generally around 2 a.m. to 3 a.m.
PAGASA said there will be shooting stars that are big enough to be seen through a naked eye.
This weekend, most parts of the country will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies while Eastern Visayas and the Bicol region will have cloudy skies. (Ellalyn V. Ruiz)
