The Ursid meteor shower, which marks the final celestial event of the year, will peak between Sunday night and early Monday morning, reports BritPanorama.
Sky-gazers can expect to see five to ten meteors per hour between midnight and 5 a.m. ET Monday, or between 9 p.m. PT Sunday and 2 a.m. PT Monday, according to Robert Lunsford, fireball report coordinator for the American Meteor Society.
This meteor shower will coincide with the winter solstice, the official start of winter in the Northern Hemisphere, when the Earth is at its farthest point from the sun.
The winter solstice marks the longest night of the year and will feature a thin crescent moon, ensuring dark skies that are optimal for meteor viewing.
Only those in the Northern Hemisphere will be able to see the shower because the radiant—the point from which the meteors appear to originate—never rises high enough in the sky for visibility in the Southern Hemisphere.
Enhanced meteor activity
The Ursids originate from the bowl of the Little Dipper constellation, near the bright orange star Kochab, Lunsford noted.
The meteor shower occurs as Earth passes through the stream of particles left behind by comet 8P/Tuttle, which sheds material during its orbit around the sun. This year’s activity could be heightened by previous streams of debris from the comet, Lunsford added.
Each time comet 8P/Tuttle passes through the inner solar system, it creates a new trail of debris. Although these trails are similar, they vary slightly, meaning Earth may pass through certain trails while missing others.
Lunsford pointed out, “This year it is predicted that the Earth will pass through a particular trail which may give us a brief enhancement of activity.”
How to see the Ursids
Although often overlooked due to its lower meteor rates compared to the spectacular Geminids—which peaked a week ago—the Ursids are still worth observing, especially if one can escape city lights.
“It is highly suggested that one try to view from the darkest location possible,” Lunsford advised. “Folks viewing from closer to cities can only see fewer than five meteors per hour.”
To maximize the chances of spotting meteors, Lunsford recommended facing the northern half of the sky but not looking straight up. Instead, viewers should focus about halfway up the sky.
Given the lower meteor rates for the Ursids, observers should plan to watch for at least an hour to increase the likelihood of witnessing meteors streaking across the night sky.
Celestial events kick off the new year
The new year will begin with a double celestial event.
January’s full moon, known as the wolf moon, will peak on January 3, which coincides with the first meteor shower of the year, the Quadrantids.
While the Quadrantids are known for bright, slow-moving fireballs, the brightness of the full moon may dim the visibility of the meteors.
This year’s celestial events add another layer of intrigue to an already active astronomy calendar.
