HURRICANE, Utah — Southern Utah could be in for a galactic treat on Saturday, and all you have to do is look up. The Geminid meteor shower is expected to put on a heck of a show, and a prime viewing site is not far from Hurricane.
"There's a sense of awe that comes from seeing it with your own eye," explained astronomy enthusiast Russ Cashin.
Cashin is talking about the dark skies that are an advantage of living in southern Utah, the area famous for its red rock landscapes, and for skies so dark that you can see the Milky Way in incredible detail.
"You can go 20 minutes south, 20 minutes east, or 20 minutes north," said Cashin.
That still means getting out of the more populated and bright skies over Cedar City and St. George. That said, a short drive out of town will get you a front row seat to catch the meteor shower that peaks from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. Saturday night.
"In a dark sky, you can expect to see about 100 to 120 meteors per hour," shared University of Colorado astronomer, Dr. John Keller, on the Geminid shower.
Most meteor showers occur when the Earth passes through dusty trails left by comets. But the Geminids are sparked by rocks coming off an asteroid called 3200 Phaethon.
The rest of the state won't be left out in the cold when it comes to catching the sky show. The website darkskymap.com offers up locations outside Salt Lake City, especially central rural areas, that will bring out the wonders of the galaxy.
For the best view, astronomers say bundle up and head outside by about 10 p.m. and look toward the east-northeast sky, where much of the action will be.
"I would lay in the backyard with a sleeping bag," shared Cashin, "and just look straight up and just lay there all night watching the showers overhead."
