Annual Cosmic Fireworks over Kitt Peak

The Geminids meteor shower puts on its annual cosmic performance, filling the night sky with streaks of light above the U.S. National Science Foundation Kitt Peak National Observatory, a Program of NSF NOIRLab, outside of Tucson, Arizona. Meteor showers happen when Earth passes through debris left by a comet or asteroid; this debris enters our atmosphere and ignites into fiery streaks in the sky called meteors. Any bits of material that land on Earth’s surface without burning up in the atmosphere are called meteorites. Not only do the clear skies common in Arizona make it a great place to observe meteor showers, but the desert environment preserves meteorites on the ground. In more humid regions meteorites weather away more quickly; Arizona’s dry air and infrequent rain showers allow them to remain intact and discoverable for longer periods. Because of the ease of finding meteorites, Arizona boasts a large community of meteorite collectors, and Arizonan meteorites can be found in meteorite collections at many research institutions.