Peaks around December 22 each year · up to ~10/hr at its best · slow (33 km/s) · best from the northern hemisphere.
The Ursids are a modest but dependable shower that caps the year in the days around the winter solstice. They peak at an ideal rate of around 10 meteors an hour — not a storm, but a steady trickle worth staying up for, and they have a real advantage for northern-hemisphere observers: the radiant never sets, so you can watch at any hour of the night.
When to watch
The Ursids are active from December 17 through December 26 each year, peaking around December 22. Because the radiant is circumpolar from northern latitudes, there's no need to wait for the small hours — the shower is available all night, though rates tend to be highest when the radiant is highest in the sky, in the hours before dawn.
Where to look
The meteors appear to stream from Ursa Minor — the Little Dipper — anchored near Polaris in the northern sky. Don't stare at the radiant itself; instead, sweep your gaze across a wide, dark patch of sky and let the meteors come to you from any direction.
What makes it special
The Ursids are shed by comet 8P/Tuttle, which swings through the inner solar system and leaves behind the debris Earth crosses each December. At 33 km/s they're on the slower side, producing unhurried, medium-brightness streaks that are easy to follow across the sky. The ~10-per-hour figure is the ideal zenithal rate under a perfectly dark sky with the radiant overhead.
How to watch
No telescope or binoculars needed — wide-open eyes see far more of the sky than any lens. Find the darkest spot you can, give your eyes a solid 20 minutes to dark-adapt, and settle in comfortably; the low rate rewards patience more than anything else.
Frequently asked
When do the Ursids peak?
Around December 22 every year, with activity running from December 17 through December 26. It's a narrow window, so the night of the peak and the one either side are your best bets.
How many Ursids will I actually see?
The ideal zenithal rate is about 10 per hour under a perfect dark sky — so in a typical backyard with some light pollution, expect fewer. It's not a fireworks display, but on a clear night you can reliably catch a handful of slow, graceful meteors each hour.
What causes the Ursids, and where do they come from?
They're debris left behind by comet 8P/Tuttle. Each December, Earth drifts through that stream of tiny particles, which burn up in the upper atmosphere and appear to radiate from the direction of Ursa Minor, near Polaris in the northern sky.
Other meteor showers
Quadrantids · Lyrids · Eta Aquariids · Southern Delta Aquariids · Perseids · Orionids · Leonids · Geminids