Catch an earthgrazer on Sunday
Early on Sunday evening, there will be a "window of opportunity" to look for Geminids in a dark, moonless sky. Between the time that evening twilight ends and the time that the bright waning gibbous moon rises, there will be about an hour of dark sky available.
For most locations, moonrise is around 7 p.m. To find the time of moonrise for your specific location, go to:
http://aa.usno.navy.mil/data/docs/RS_OneDay.php
During the moonless interval, there possibly may be an opportunity to catch a glimpse of an unusually beautiful type of meteor called an "Earthgrazer." Earthgrazers are long, bright shooting stars that streak overhead from just below the horizon. They often display colorful halos and long-lasting trails. Earthgrazers are so distinctive because they follow a path nearly parallel to our atmosphere, analogous to a rock skimming across the top of a pond. The Geminid radiant ? near to the bright star, Castor ? will be near the horizon as our planet is passing through the Geminid stream.
