Meteor Showers
Ursids
Next peak: December 22, 2026 · 10/hr
PeakDecember 22, 2026
ActiveDecember 17 – December 26
Rate (ZHR)10/hr
Speed33 km/s
RadiantUrsa Minor
Parent bodyComet Tuttle
Moon at peak99% · Waxing Gibbous
The Moon will be Waxing Gibbous (99% lit) near the peak, which will wash out fainter meteors.
About the Ursids
A modest winter shower near the celestial pole; the radiant barely sets, so it is visible all night up north.
How to watch a meteor shower
Get away from city lights, let your eyes adapt for 20 minutes, and lie back so you can take in as much sky as possible. You don't need a telescope — meteors appear all over the sky. The best hours are usually after midnight, when your side of the Earth turns into the debris stream.
The single biggest factor after darkness is the Moon: a bright moon near the peak drowns out all but the brightest meteors. Check the moon phase for the peak night and, if it's bright, watch before moonrise or after moonset.