Star Points for November, 2004; by Curtis Roelle December's Geminid Night Lights As the neighborhood sprouts decorative outdoor lighting accents this month -- the strings of icicles, net lighting draped over bushes, twinkling lights along railings and roof lines, wire frame animals in various poses, and strings of beautiful colored lights on trees -- nature has planned her own December light show. Tuesday, December 14 is the night of the annual Geminid meteor shower. For those fortunate to be away from bright city lights this year's shower is very favorable because the moon gets out of the way early, setting at 07:43 p.m. in Carroll County. The only way this year's shower could be any better would be if it occurred on a weekend night instead of a school/work night. In his Astronomical Calendar, astronomer Guy Ottewell calls the annual Geminid shower "one of the very best presently visible from Earth." Indeed at a public star party at Hashawha Environmental Center in 1985 starring Comet Halley the main act was upstaged by a vigorous performance of this very shower. The meteors are expected to peak early in the evening which favors European and North African observers. However, the meteors should put on a fine show locally until well past midnight. Dozens of meteors per hour should be visible to a keen eye under dark skies. No telescope is needed to see the shower; the naked eye will do just fine. Remember to dress warmly and stay comfortable. A lawn chair or collapsible reclining chair are excellent for observing meteors. Some persons like zipping up in a toasty sleeping bag. Try to maintain dark adaptation for your eyes by avoiding exposure to bright lights. That way you'll be able to see even more meteors. The Geminids are associated with the asteroid 3200 Phaeton, an "Apollo asteroid." Apollo class asteroids have orbits which cross Earth's and some of them may one day pose a risk of colliding with our planet. In fact during this meteor shower we are thought to be colliding with small flecks of an asteroid. Do you want to see more celestial sights? The Westminster Astronomical Society will have their telescope set up for public observing at Piney Run Park near Eldersburg on Saturday night, December 18 starting at 8 p.m.