Biggest Meteor Shower Of The Year Above Montana This Week

It is winter in Montana and with that we will see clouds, snow, fog and possibly inversions. There is some good news. We are expecting a break in the weather this week in Montana just in time to get a glimpse at what some are calling the biggest meteor shower of the year.

The Geminid Meteor Shower Will Be Visible in Montana

The Geminid meteor shower will be peaking the night of Wednesday December 13th and into the morning of Thursday December 14th. According to the National Weather Service most areas in Montana are expected clears skies at the time of the meteor shower. This will be a perfect opportunity to view this amazing show. When it is at it's peak the Geminid shower may produce over 120 meteors per hour.

Geminid Shower Comes from an Asteroid

According to Museum of Science, It's a different kind of meteor shower. The Geminid meteors come from an asteroid. The timing of the shower this year also coincides with a waxing crescent moon. Which will mean that the asteroids should be visible across most of Montana.

If you want to view this shower there are a few things you can do to make the most of your viewing.

• Try to get outside of the city. The darker it will be the better the viewing.
• Don't use your cell phone for at least thirty minutes to let your eyes adjust to the night sky.

Best Viewing Time in Montana Will Be Wednesday Night

According to Earthsky.org, the best viewing time may be around 2am on Thursday morning, but with the waxing crescent moon setting earlier for Montana, it may be visible much earlier if you can get out of town for viewing.

There will be another major event coming up on Monday April 8th, 2024. There will be a total solar eclipse. Montana will not be in the direct path. If you want to see it in it's entirety, you will need to travel. There are four major cities where it will be most visible.