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Geminid Meteor Shower Peaks as Mercury and the Moon Light Up December Skies

Illustrative image of a meteor shower (Photo Péter Miklós)
Illustrative image of a meteor shower (Photo Péter Miklós)

December brings a series of major astronomical events, making winter nights especially rewarding for sky watchers, according to the Taipei Astronomical Museum.

On December 8, Mercury reaches its final western elongation of the year, shining at magnitude -0.5. Observers can spot the planet low in the east-southeastern sky between 5:30 a.m. and sunrise.

The highlight follows on December 14, when the Geminid meteor shower reaches its peak. With an estimated zenithal hourly rate of up to 150 meteors, around 100 meteors per hour may be visible under favorable conditions. The late-rising waning moon minimizes interference, while the shower is known for its slow-moving, bright fireballs.

December 21 marks the winter solstice, the shortest day and longest night of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. On December 31, the Moon will pass close to the Pleiades star cluster shortly after sunset. Although moonlight will be relatively bright, binoculars can enhance the view, offering a scenic astronomical finale to the year.完整天象資訊可至臺北天文館官網查詢(圖/臺北天文館官網提供)Full astronomical information is available on the Taipei Astronomical Museum official website (Photo Taipei Astronomical Museum)

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