- The Ursid meteor shower runs from December 17 to 26, in the Northern Hemisphere
- The shower peaks late night December 21 to early December 22 near the winter solstice
- Observers may see 5-10 meteors per hour during peak under dark, moonless skies
The Ursid meteor shower, the final notable celestial event of 2025, is set to light up the late-December sky as Earth ploughs through a stream of cosmic debris left by Comet 8P/Tuttle. This annual display is a modest but enduring winter tradition for stargazers in the Northern Hemisphere. The meteor shower, which began from December 17, will remain active till December to 26, according to Time Magazine. The Ursids are named for the constellation Ursa Minor - the Little Dipper - near which the meteors appear to radiate. Their radiant point remains above the northern horizon throughout the night in northern latitudes, but lies too far north to be easily seen from much of the Southern Hemisphere.
The shower's peak is expected between the late evening of December 21 and early hours of December 22, closely tied to the winter solstice, the Northern Hemisphere's longest night of the year. Under dark skies, observers may see around 5-10 meteors per hour at peak - a modest show compared with high-profile showers like the Geminids earlier in the month - according to a report in CNN.
This year offers particularly favourable conditions. A near-new moon phase around the peak means minimal moonlight to wash out faint trails, enhancing visibility for those prepared to watch as night deepens.
Meteor activity is best observed from late evening through to dawn, with the hours before local sunrise often yielding the richest display as Earth rotates into the incoming stream. Experts recommend finding a dark, open location well away from city lights, allowing at least 20-30 minutes for your eyes to adjust to the darkness. No telescopes or binoculars are needed; the spectacle unfolds across the whole sky.
For viewers in India, like much of Asia, the Ursids' northern radiant means visibility can be more challenging than in mid-northern latitudes, but under clear skies and in rural areas with low light pollution, vigilant observers should still catch shooting stars after nightfall on peak dates. Local astronomy guides suggest scanning the northern sky between late evening and just before dawn for the best chance of spotting meteors.
