3200 Phaethon discovery, several other objects were found exhibiting mixed cometary and asteroidal features, such as 133P/Elst–Pizarro. Shortly after its discovery, Fred Whipple observed that the "orbital elements of 1983 TB shown on IAUC 3879 are virtually coincident with the mean orbital elements of 19 Geminid meteors photographed with the super-Schmidt meteor cameras". In other words, Phaethon is the long-sought parent body of the Geminids meteor shower of mid-December. Phaethon approached to of Earth on December 10, 2007, and was detected by radar at Arecibo. When Phaethon came to perihelion in July 2009, it was found to be brighter than expected. During
December 21 December 22, unless that date is a Sunday, in which case it's moved to the 23rd: December 22 "'Last Saturday before Christmas: December 22" Sunday before Christmas: December 23 December 26, unless that day is a Sunday, in which case the 27th: December 26 Last Friday before Christmas: December 28 Sunday after Christmas: December 30 December December is the twelfth and final month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian Calendars and is the seventh and last of seven months to have a length of 31 days. December got its name from the Latin word "decem" (meaning ten)