Geminids meteor shower lights up UAE skies in spectacular display

The annual celestial show sent bright meteors streaking across the skies

Looking for the Geminids meteor shower up close during an event hosted by the Dubai Astronomy Group at Al Qudra desert on December 13, 2024. Chris Whiteoak / The National

The event took place after nightfall on December 13 and into the early hours of December 14. The Moon reduced the visibility of the showers, but some bright and fast-moving meteors were visible to the naked eye. Chris Whiteoak / The National

The meteor shower display is captured on camera with a phone. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Skywatchers kept warm with a bonfire at the event in Dubai as meteors streaked overhead. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Watching the skies takes time but patience is rewarded. Chris Whiteoak / The National

The Geminids meteor shower put on a dazzling display above the Kitt Peak National Observatory in Arizona, US. Photo: AP

The Geminids meteor shower illuminated the skies over the UAE on Friday night and into the early hours of Saturday.

Known to be bright and colourful, the showers produce 120 visible meteors each hour when the event is at its most intense. They come from the 3200 Phaethon asteroid, Khadijah Ahmed, operations manager at the Dubai Astronomy Group, told The National.

“This makes them unique and one of the most reliable meteor showers of the year,” she said. This year’s full moon reduced visibility, particularly for fainter meteors, but the Geminids’ bright and slow-moving meteors were still visible to the naked eye.

The showers attracted a crowd to a viewing event hosted by the Dubai Astronomy Group at the Al Qudra Desert. There were six telescopes available for guests to get an enhanced view of the meteors, the Moon and planets.

The science behind the show

The Geminids are active annually between November 19 and December 24, with their peak coming in mid-December. When the meteors pass the debris trail of the 3200 Phaethon asteroid, particles enter the atmosphere at high speeds, burning up and creating the striking streaks visible in the night sky.

Nasa describes the Geminids as one of the “best and most reliable meteor showers” because of their consistent activity and bright meteors, which are often yellow in colour.

“The Geminids first began appearing in the mid-1800s. However, the first showers were not noteworthy with only 10 to 20 meteors seen per hour,” Nasa says on its website. “Since that time, the Geminids have grown to become one of the major meteor showers of the year.”

When is the next meteor shower?

The next meteor shower expected to be visible in the UAE are the Quadrantids, which are expected to peak on January 3-4, 2025. The meteors come from leftover comet particles and broken asteroids. The Earth passes through these debris trails each year, allowing the meteors to collide with the atmosphere, where they disintegrate and create colourful streaks in the sky, according to Nasa.

In ideal weather, up to 60 meteors per hour can be seen. A planetary parade is likely to be visible from January 11 onwards, in which six planets, including Mars, Jupiter, Uranus, Neptune, Venus and Saturn, will appear in the night sky.

A Mars Opposition will also take place on January 16, which is when Mars, Earth and the Sun align in a straight line. When this happens, the Earth is positioned directly between Mars and the Sun, making the Red Planet appear brighter, larger and more vibrant in the night sky.

Geminids illuminate skies over the UAE in 2023 – in pictures

About 500 people gathered at the Al Qudra desert to observe the Geminids meteor shower. The event on December 14, 2023, was held by the Dubai Astronomy Group. All photos: Antonie Robertson / The National

Members of the public observe the skies to spot the Geminids meteor shower in Dubai's Al Qudra desert.

Apart from slight cloudy conditions, the clear weather helped to see the bright meteors shootings across the skies at speeds of 125,528 kph - 40 times faster than a speeding bullet.

The Dubai Astronomy Group also provided eight telescopes to help the public spot Jupiter and the Orion Nebula.

The Geminids are unique with the Dubai Astronomy Group stating that they come from 3200 Phaethon, which experts are divided on as to whether it is an asteroid or comet.