The Year is already ending, several celebrations and parties are approaching, although this year they will not happen like all the past years… But it is not just the commemorative dates that arrive together with the month of December. Some astronomical events will also happen, including the main astronomical event of the year, a solar eclipse! Check out the December astronomical events:
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Geminid meteor shower (13 and 14)
The first meteor shower of the last month of the year, it is also the last one visible here in the southern hemisphere, it is one of the most important that happens during the year, however between the 13th and 14th is when its peak occurs. But traditionally it always happens during the 7th and 17th of December.
As its name suggests, this meteor shower takes place in the region of the constellation Gemini. Like all the others that happen during the year, it happens due to the burning of asteroid debris as it enters the Earth's atmosphere, friction with the particles of our atmosphere disintegrates the rock that ignites it. The Geminid Meteor Shower is caused by the fragments of the asteroid 3200 phaethon.
Total solar eclipse (14)
December will also reserve us one of the main astronomical events observable here on Earth, which manages to make a good part of the world population stop to observe it. A solar eclipse, in 2020 there will be 1 solar eclipse, but at the time it was an Annular solar eclipse. While the second and final eclipse of 2020, which will take place now on December 14th, will be a Total Solar Eclipse. The difference between these two eclipses is due to the distance that the moon is from the Earth, where it will be able to cover the sun in its totality or not.
However, as much as this is a total solar eclipse, and it will be observable here in Brazil... It will not be possible to see it in its entirety, here in Brazil your vision will be partial.
Conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn (21)
Finally, close to Christmas on December 21st, the planets Jupiter and Saturn will be very close in the sky. Although it may seem trivial, this “approximation” of the two planets only happens once every 20 years!
Anyway, this is the end of the Astronomical events of the year 2020, so which one was your favorite? Comment here did you observe any, if you liked it, or like me, the clouds in your city haven't collaborated much with the observation? Comment!
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