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Don't Miss Tonight's Geminid Meteor Shower

Catch as many as 40 Geminid falling stars an hour starting at 10 p.m. tonight. Even NASA finds these meteors mysterious.

When 10 p.m. rolls around tonight, grab a mug of hot cocoa, a winter coat, and venture outside for a truly remarkable sight. NASA is reporting that the 2011 Geminid Meteor Shower will peak tonight with optimal viewing said to last until sunrise.

According to NASA, Geminid meteor showers shoot straight out of the constellation Gemini. Strangely enough, these meteors are born form the asteroid 3200 Phaethon. Meteor showers usually originate from comets making these meteors especially unique.

But what about that other big, shining ball of light up there? Scientists quell the worries of eager night sky observers noting that the Geminid shower will still shine through.    

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"Observers with clear skies could see as many as 40 Geminids per hour," predicts Bill Cooke of the NASA Meteoroid Environment Office.  "Our all-sky network of meteor cameras has captured several early Geminid fireballs.  They were so bright, we could see them despite the moonlight," the article from NASA’s site stated.

The Huffington Post has some tips courtesy of Astronomy magazine to help you get the best view despite the moon. NASA will also be holding a live Web chat during the viewing, featuring experts from the Marshall Space Flight Center to answer questions about the Geminids from 11 p.m. until 5 a.m. To join in the conversation, click here

Find out what's happening in Scotch Plains-Fanwoodwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

NASA also notes that the Meteoroid Environment Office has just released an app for the iPhone and iPad known as the “Meteor Counter.”  This handy little tool allows any citizen with the device to track the number of meteors splashing across the sky and deliver their findings to NASA! The app is free from Apple’s app store: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/meteor-counter/id466896415

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