A large meteor shower is expected to light up UAE skies next week.
The Geminids meteor showers occur annually from December 7 to 17, peaking predictably on the night of December 13.
But experts said this year’s show could be even more spectacular.
The shower is strengthening because the stream of debris generated by the Geminids has thickened over time.
You don't need any special equipment or a lot of skills to view a meteor shower. All you really need is a clear sky
On average, it has recorded more than 100 meteors per hour during the height, but this year, experts said it will reach 150 per hour, with one visible every 24 seconds or so.
However, in 2014, there were 253 meteors at the peak, and experts said it could reach up to 300 meteors – which tend to be fast and yellow – per hour this year.
According to Dubai Astronomy Group, conditions will be particularly good this year because the new moon will be on December 14, meaning there will be no moonlight to interfere with the view.
“You don't need any special equipment or a lot of skills to view a meteor shower,” said Dubai Astronomy Group chief executive, Hasan Al Hariri. The group is hosting a paid-for event to observe the event on the evening of Sunday, December 13.
“Even though all you really need is a clear sky.”
According to forecasts on BBC, the skies should be favourable on big coastal cities to see the showers.
For the best viewing experience, sky gazers can get a secluded viewing spot as far as possible from the city lights.
Using an app like MeteorActive, which is free, can help locate a good viewing spot.
The Geminids are among several meteor showers that occur throughout the year.
However, they are the only showers not generated by a comet, but from what appears to be an asteroid, called 3200 Phaethon, according to Nasa.
How it generates the debris is, however, a mystery. There are several theories, many of which have been dismissed by Nasa.
One of the most popular theories is Phaethon is a rock comet.
“The problem with this theory is that it doesn't account for the amount of dust in the Geminid stream,” said Nasa.
“So what it comes down to is that the Geminid parent object is a mystery.”
The showers were first spotted in the mid-1800s, but at first they only generated around 10 to 20 meteors an hour.
They have since grown stronger into some of the most significant showers because Jupiter's gravity has tugged the stream of particles from 3200 Phaethon closer to Earth over the centuries, according to Dubai Astronomy Group.
Perseid meteor shower in pictures
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
European arms
Known EU weapons transfers to Ukraine since the war began: Germany 1,000 anti-tank weapons and 500 Stinger surface-to-air missiles. Luxembourg 100 NLAW anti-tank weapons, jeeps and 15 military tents as well as air transport capacity. Belgium 2,000 machine guns, 3,800 tons of fuel. Netherlands 200 Stinger missiles. Poland 100 mortars, 8 drones, Javelin anti-tank weapons, Grot assault rifles, munitions. Slovakia 12,000 pieces of artillery ammunition, 10 million litres of fuel, 2.4 million litres of aviation fuel and 2 Bozena de-mining systems. Estonia Javelin anti-tank weapons. Latvia Stinger surface to air missiles. Czech Republic machine guns, assault rifles, other light weapons and ammunition worth $8.57 million.
The years Ramadan fell in May
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Bayern Munich v Real Madrid
When: April 25, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Allianz Arena, Munich
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 1, Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20SupplyVan%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%2C%20UAE%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ELaunch%20year%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202017%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2029%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20MRO%20and%20e-commerce%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Seed%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Most wanted allegations
- Benjamin Macann, 32: involvement in cocaine smuggling gang.
- Jack Mayle, 30: sold drugs from a phone line called the Flavour Quest.
- Callum Halpin, 27: over the 2018 murder of a rival drug dealer.
- Asim Naveed, 29: accused of being the leader of a gang that imported cocaine.
- Calvin Parris, 32: accused of buying cocaine from Naveed and selling it on.
- John James Jones, 31: allegedly stabbed two people causing serious injuries.
- Callum Michael Allan, 23: alleged drug dealing and assaulting an emergency worker.
- Dean Garforth, 29: part of a crime gang that sold drugs and guns.
- Joshua Dillon Hendry, 30: accused of trafficking heroin and crack cocain.
- Mark Francis Roberts, 28: grievous bodily harm after a bungled attempt to steal a £60,000 watch.
- James ‘Jamie’ Stevenson, 56: for arson and over the seizure of a tonne of cocaine.
- Nana Oppong, 41: shot a man eight times in a suspected gangland reprisal attack.
