The Geminids meteor shower as it appeared last Thursday in the Qatari skyline. Pics by Ajith Everester
Doha, Qatar: The Qatar night sky dazzled with the brilliance of over a thousand shooting stars as the Geminids meteor shower reached its peak on Thursday, December 14.
The Geminids— so named due to their radiant in the Gemini constellation — are considered as one of the most consistently spectacular annual meteor showers, according to NASA. These shooting stars can be observed anywhere in the world and are best viewed during the night and early dawn hours.
An amazing night of Geminids and some of the winter circle constellations on December 14, 2023, at Al Kharrara in Al Wakrah captured by The Peninsula sports reporter Chinthana Wasala and The Peninsula reader Alvin Puthur Babu.
Ajith Everester, an astrophotographer and founder of the Everester Observatory along with amateur astronomer Navin Anand, described the celestial spectacle on Thursday as “hands down one of the best meteor showers in recent years.”
Their two-day stargazing initiative drew an enthusiastic response, with over a thousand registering on their WhatsApp group.
Crowd started to arrive at 9pm to witness the Geminids meteor shower at Al Kharrara in Al Wakrah on December 14, 2023.
“More than 4,000 people, spanning all age groups, flocked to Al Kharrara in Al Wakrah Municipality to witness the breathtaking celestial event, Everester told The Peninsula.
Everester shared that over 1,000 vehicles, some even from the far north, gathered at the location. To fully appreciate the astronomical event, he emphasized the need for stargazers to move away from the bright lights of the city for a clear view of the night sky.
“To get an exceptional view of the meteor shower, one ideal spot here in Qatar is the Al Kharrara which is far from highly populated areas and exceptionally dark from 9pm to 4am, allowing celestial objects to twinkle at their brightest.”
The main event started at 9pm with one shout for each count. The astrophiles counted 650 shooting stars, but “at its peak between 1am and 2am, it was literally shower of meteors from every direction,” said Navin Anand, co-organizer of the event.
“At its peak, people observed falling meteors everywhere in every direction, making them mesmerized. It was one of its kind and apparently first time in Qatar that such volume of flocks witnessed this sort of celestial event and cheered from all around. Probably, it will remain a lifetime memory for most of them,” he added.
The reactions from participants spoke volumes about the event’s success. Each streak of light evoked collective gasps from stargazers — the brighter the shooting star, the louder the cheers.
Attendees like Lenard from Mansoura expressed awe at the experience. “It was a beautiful and delightful experience seeing meteor shower for the very first time, I brought along my daughter with me and she was astounded!”
“Awesome experience,” said Alvin Puthur Babu who shared photos to The Peninsula. Saily Varhadi echoed Babu’s remark, commenting that “the event was a great initiative.”
The Geminids, known for their brightness and speed, often exhibit yellowish or white hues, occasionally appearing green, red, or blue. “As Earth orbits the sun, the sun’s gravity pulls dust and small rocks from the parent asteroid, 3200 Phaethon’s orbital debris. When our planet passes through this debris, it burns up upon entering the atmosphere, resulting in shooting stars.” While the Geminids peaked on Thursday, NASA noted that the meteor shower will remain active until December 24 but with reduced count.
