The night sky is set to be illuminated across Australia this week as the annual Geminid meteor shower begins.
The shower is expected to peak on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings, but it will be most visible between 3am and 4am in every major city.
The Geminids are considered one of the most spectacular meteor showers of the year, and those who stay awake or set the alarm should be rewarded.
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How to see the meteor shower.
Theguardian.com/science/2021/dec-13/starwatch-how-to-see-the-geminid-meteor-shower
What is the name of the group?
Earth passes through debris from an asteroid every year. It is burning up in the atmosphere and streaking across the sky.
Dr Brad Tucker from the Australian National University said that the asteroid leaves a wake like a boat as it goes around the sun.
There are some small variations that can change how many we see during the annual meteor shower.
The Geminids are one of the more reliable ones because we pass at a time when we see a lot of good ones of them.
The name of the group of people is derived from the point in the sky they appear from, above the north-eastern horizon.
What can you expect to see?
Tucker says major cities should see a couple dozen an hour during the peak.
You can always get away from city lights if you choose to. The moon is convenient this year, and the cloud cover is dependent on the weather.
It is always nice to get good rates over a few days during a meteor shower. People were seeing some last night, and tonight and tomorrow morning should be great.
You should be able to see a few dozen per hour in the major cities. It's cool to see a couple of dozen per hour, because we always feel lucky to see one shooting star.
Where is the best time to look?
Timing is important to see as much of the shower as possible. Tucker says the shower is more colorful after the moon sets.
The best time to view is 3-4am across Australia. The moon sets all over the country by 2am local time.
The best time to see it is when the moon is out of the way and the sky is high. It is too early to see the moon outside.
You are in business if you go outside and it is gone.
The shower will be visible to the naked eye if you are further north, and residents should try and find a dark spot to watch it.
Tucker suggests going to a nearby park to watch the shower, and to continue looking north if you have an unobstructed view of the sky.
It can take up to 30 minutes for eyes to adjust to the darkness, so be patient and allow time for your eyes to adjust.
It is possible to get a couple of dozen if you have a nice clear view and are in the dark. The darker the spot, the better.
The best show will be in the early hours of the morning, but there are some Earth-grazing meteors that will be visible earlier in the night. You can see them at certain times.
The night is in Brisbane at 9pm.
Darwin is at 9.30pm.
Perth is at 10pm.
10pm in Australia.
The time is 10:45pm in the capital.
At 11:00pm, there is an event in Adelaide.
The time in Melbourne is 11:00pm.
The time in Hobart is 11.30pm.
