December Sky Phenomenon: Tonight's Pheonicid Meteor Shower Peak

The Pheonicid meteor shower, which has been running since November 28, 2022, will reach its peak tonight, Friday, December 2, 2022, before it really ends on December 9. The best time for today's evening meteor assessment is at 8:00 p.m.

"The direction is in the south," said Avivah Yamani, an astronomy practitioner from the Southern Sky commune, Bandung, Thursday, December 1, 2022.

There are from the constellation Pheonix, the number of meteors of which includes an assortment. But at a minimum, Avivah said, observers can witness 12 meteors/hour. However, it is necessary to take into account the assessments that can be affected by the moonlight. On Friday night today, the Moon sets after passing late at night.

"Cloudy weather and rain can be a hindrance," Avivah added. Coming from comet debris, the meteor shower's assessment can begin from sunset until near 3:00 a.m.

In addition, from the Southern Sky site, there remains another meteor shower so far this December: the Puppid-Velids meteor shower that runs from December 1-15, and will reach its peak on December 7. There are from the constellation Puppis, a large number of 10 meteors/hour in the south direction. The observation time starts from 20.26 WIB until the sun comes out the same as the best time at 03.00 WIB.

Subsequently the Geminids meteor shower ran between December 4-20. On December 14, the number can reach 150 meteors/hour. There is from the constellation Gemini which starts to come out around 20:00 WIB, the direction is to the northeast.

Meanwhile, the Ursid meteor shower that runs December 17-26 will be seen arriving from the constellation Ursa Minor. But only observers in the northern hemisphere can see it because in the southern hemisphere, the appearance of the constellation coincides with the time the sun comes out. When it shoots on Dec. 22, about 10 meteors skyrocket every hour.

Other celestial events such as Mercury and Venus as far away as December. On Christmas Eve, the 2nd order of the planet and the crescent moon create a triangular form in the direction between the west and the southwest. The trio of celestial bodies one after another will set after 19 o'clock in the afternoon.