Best Meteor Shower Of the Year To Peak Over New York State

If it seems like there's been a lot of meteor showers in recent weeks, then you are not imagining things. The Leonids meteor shower peaked in mid-November above the skies of New York and beyond, though that was just a minor event compared to the next peak in meteor activity.

Also, if you read below, did a small meteorite land in or around Poughkeepsie a few years ago?

CBS says to expect "one of the best and most reliable meteor showers of the year." Technically, it is already underway, according to NASA. However, astronomers say the best time to view the event will be coming soon.

Biggest Meteor Shower Of The Year Set To Peak 

CBS says the Geminids meteor shower will go all the way to December 24, though the peak will come on December 14. NASA says that you can expect to see around 120 meteors an hour, which will appear "bright and fast", and "tend to be yellow in color."

Earth Sky says viewing should be good this year, because the new Moon falls on December 12. So there will be a dark sky during the peak of the 2023 Geminid meteor shower.

NASA says that the Geminids are "best viewed during the night and predawn hours and are visible across the globe due to a nearly 24-hour broad maximum."

See Also: What is New York State's Smallest County By Area Outside of the City?

Origins

The Geminid meteor shower is the debris left from the rock comet 3200 Phaethon. The meteor shower gets its name because it can be seen as white or yellowish streaks in the night sky, coming from the direction of the constellation Gemini.

Did a Small Asteroid Strike Poughkeepsie? 

You may remember reports of the bright fireball that was seen all over the eastern part of the country in November 2020. Some outlets, such as the Gothamist, claim the space rock actually crashed somewhere in the area.

Hundreds of reports poured in from witnesses all over the east coast at around 7:22 P.M. that evening. The American Meteor Society says the fireball's visible light trail ended somewhere over Poughkeepsie, according to the reports they received. So, probably no.

Bright Lights and Fireballs

As of now, there is no actual evidence of asteroids striking here. That doesn't mean it hasn't happened, but there is no "smoking gun" to speak of. Chances are, the fireball simply disintegrated in mid-air.