Ursids
The Ursids are a small meteor shower around the winter solstice, radiating from the Little Bear.
The Ursids peak around 21 to 22 December, close to the winter solstice. Their radiant lies near the star Kochab in Ursa Minor, the Little Bear, close to the north celestial pole. From the UK and similar latitudes, the radiant is above the horizon all night.
The shower is usually modest, with around 5 to 10 meteors per hour, but there have been outbursts of 50 or more, notably in 1945 and 1986. The parent is Comet 8P/Tuttle, which orbits the Sun about every 13.6 years.
Ursid meteors are fairly slow, around 33 kilometres per second. Because the shower comes just a week after the much stronger Geminids, it is often overlooked. However, long December nights give plenty of observing time, and the high northern radiant makes it a good target for observers in northern countries.
Related terms
Level: Explorer Ages 10 and up