December 2019 astronomy events: Geminid meteor shower, winter solstice
Keep an eye on the sky in December so you don't miss these exciting astronomy events:
The Geminid meteor shower will peak on the evening of Dec. 13-14. AccuWeather describes it as the best meteor shower of the year, saying it can bring up to 120 meteors per hour. This year, though, a full moon will contest the shower and could wash out the fainter meteors.
The December solstice will begin on Dec. 21, 2019, at 11:19 p.m. ET. That will usher in the beginning of winter in the Northern Hemisphere and summer for the Southern Hemisphere.
On Dec. 26, an annular solar eclipse will be visible in the Middle East, southern India and parts of Indonesia. An annular solar eclipse occurs when the moon is too far away to block the Sun entirely, leaving behind a ring of fire in the sky.
