Ursid Meteor Shower to Put on Last Celestial Show of 2023

Ursid Meteor Showers 2023

Ursid Meteors are last meteor showers of the year 2023. The meteor shower has started and will peak overnight on Thursday (Dec 21) through Friday (Dec 22). 

What are Ursid Meteors?

Ursids are formed from 8P/Tuttle, a comet that takes 13.6 years to orbit the sun. It was last seen in the inner solar system in 2021 and id next due back in 2035. 

How to Watch Ursid Meteor Shower?

Constellation Ursa Minor is the radiant point of the Ursids, where the "shooting stars" will appear. You must look north to see the Ursid meteor shower as the stars wrap around Polaris, the North Star. 

Best Time to Watch Ursid Meteors

The best time to witness these "shooting" stars in midnight and after that. As per the American Meteor Society, they will shoot around 10 meteors per hour at the peak. 

Why Ursid Meteor Shower Occurs?

They occur when dust and dirt strike the Earth's atmosphere. Usually, the source of this dust and dirt is a comet- 8P/Tuttle. The comet was found to be 2.8 miles (4.5km) in diameter and had a peanut-like shape.