Skywatchers rejoice: The Geminids meteor shower peaks tonight
Turn your attention skyward Saturday evening and you should be able to catch the peak of the annual Geminids meteor shower.
The yellow dancing streaks light up the night sky every December with meteors zipping through the heavens at a rate of 120 an hour, according to NASA.
Stargazers in the Northern Hemisphere will have the best view, but the meteor shower will be visible in the Southern Hemisphere as well.
Most meteor showers are the debris left behind from comets — large, tailed blobs of ice and dust. But the Geminids shower originates from Asteroid 3200 Phaethon — a relatively small (3.17 miles across) — celestial oddity that scientists are still trying to understand.
Asteroids differ from comets in that asteroids are rocky metallic masses typically found in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, while comets are typically mostly ice.
According to NASA, Phaethon, the source of the Geminids, however, is potentially a “dead comet” or even a new discovery they call a “rock comet.”
Regardless of how science would define its source, if you’re skywatching on Saturday, lie flat on your back outside with your feet facing south. After about 30 minutes in the dark, you should be able to see the dazzles of the Geminids, lasting until dawn.
Multiple people shot near Brown University, police say
Brown University says it's working with law enforcement to search for a suspect after its report of an "active shooting situation" on its Rhode Island campus.
United Airlines flight returns to Dulles airport after engine loses power during takeoff
Shortly after departing the Virginia airport on Saturday, the Tokyo-bound plane's engine cover separated and caught fire, according to the transportation secretary. No injuries were reported.
After failure in the Senate, House GOP has its own health care proposal
House Republicans released proposed legislation late Friday that would not extend enhanced Affordable Care Act tax subsidies.
‘The Mask’ and ‘Pulp Fiction’ actor Peter Greene dies at 60
The character actor was best known for playing villains in movies like Pulp Fiction and The Mask. Greene was found dead in his New York City apartment on Friday, his manager and friend told NPR.
Chile votes in polarizing presidential runoff as far-right takes lead
Chile heads to a presidential runoff on Sunday, with far-right contender José Antonio Kast — a supporter of former dictator Augusto Pinochet — tipped to win.
2 U.S. service members and 1 civilian are killed in ISIS attack in Syria
The attack, which took place in the city of Palmyra, comes a year after the fall of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and the lifting of U.S. sanctions.
