EarthSky News - Dec 10 - What'll Happen When 3200 Phaethon Sweeps Past Earth?

December 10 What'll Happen When 3200 Phaethon Sweeps Past Earth? by:

When 3200 Phaethon sweeps past Earth This mysterious rock-comet is the parent body of this week's Geminid meteor shower. It'll brush closely past Earth on December 16, just a few nights after the Geminids' peak. Will 2017 be a fantastic year for the Geminids? Don't miss the Geminids in 2017 Meteor showers are part of nature and so inherently unpredictable. But - because 3200 Phaethon is nearby - the 2017 Geminids might be awesome! Peak mornings December 13 and 14. California in flames    A compilation of images from space, a map, and links to more stories about California's wildfires, December 2017. Star of the week: Menkar It's not the most famous star in Cetus the Whale, or the brightest. But Menkar has its own claims to fame. Tonight … See a celestial Chariot The constellation Auriga the Charioteer also has several easy-to-find and very famous star clusters that you can spot with binoculars.

Looking for the perfect Christmas gift? An EarthSky lunar calendar is sure to delight. Or give the gift that gives back! Check out the new colors and designs of our EarthSky Cares Tees. A percentage of proceeds collected will be donated to select organizations.

Don't miss the Geminids in 2017  The Virtual Telescope Project is offering online viewing this year of both the Geminids and 3200 Phaethon. Check out the times listed in the poster above. Click here to translate to your time zone. Click here to go to Virtual Telescope Project's site.

California in flames   According to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, the 2017 California wildfire season is the worst on record. This image was acquired via NASA's Terra satellite on December 5. Submit your photo to EarthSky here!

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