Ursids Meteor Shower

A faint waning crescent moon at only 3% illumination provides excellent viewing conditions for the 2022 Ursids. This low-key meteor shower is somewhat overlooked due to the season and that its rates are much lower than the popular Geminids, peaking just a week before. Ursids range from December 13 to 24, so some may intermingle with the peak of the Geminids. The Ursids usually peak around the December solstice, perhaps offering five to 10 meteors per hour during the predawn hours in a dark sky.

The Ursids is a minor meteor shower producing about 5-10 meteors per hour. It is produced by dust grains left behind by comet Tuttle, which was first discovered in 1790.