The Ursids
Based on NASA, AMS and IMO references, with Moon figures from USNO. Our calculations, suggested observing nights and plain-language guide are labeled separately.
Our guideWhat this means for your night
Our plain-language reading of the sources and calculations on this page. It adds no new facts; the quotes below are the evidence.
What to expect. The Ursids come from comet 8P/Tuttle, which IMO says has a 13.6-year orbit. The AMS says they're often neglected because they peak just before Christmas and their rates are much lower than the Geminids'. Normal rates are 5 to 10 an hour, with occasional outbursts above 25; IMO lists major outbursts in 1945 and 1986 and expects 2027 to be close to the average ZHR of about 10.
A radiant that stays up. IMO says the radiant is circumpolar from most northern sites, and our radiant table agrees: at all three US latitudes we checked, it never sets. IMO adds that it is highest towards the morning, and our calculation puts the highest point around 8:30 a.m. local mean solar time.
2026 versus 2027. In 2026 the Moon is bright on the AMS peak night: USNO shows a waxing gibbous, 92% lit on Dec 21 and 97% on Dec 22. In 2027 IMO calls the shower moon-free, and USNO shows a waning crescent, 25% lit on Dec 22 and 17% on Dec 23. If you plan one Ursid night, 2027 is the one.
Tips that follow. NASA's Night Sky Network advice fits a December night: get to a dark spot, get comfortable, bring extra blankets and let your eyes adjust. With low rates, this works best as a quiet half hour during a holiday week rather than an all-nighter.
Why watch at all. The AMS notes that the Geminids peak only a week earlier with much higher rates. The Ursids' appeal is a radiant that never sets for northern observers and the small chance, which IMO's outburst history shows is real, of a better-than-average year.
| Shower | Night | Published ZHR | Moon lit (USNO, each date) | Radiant highest: our calculation, approximate LMST |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ursids 2026 | Dec 21–22, 2026 (AMS peak night) | 10 (AMS calendar) | Dec 21: waxing gibbous, 92%; Dec 22: waxing gibbous, 97% | 8:30 a.m. |
| Ursids 2027 | Dec 22–23, 2027 (our suggested night for the Eastern US; IMO gives the maximum as Dec 23, 2027, 04:00 UT, which our conversion puts at Dec 22, 11:00 p.m. EST) | 10 (IMO 2027 calendar) | Dec 22: waning crescent, 25%; Dec 23: waning crescent, 17% | 8:30 a.m. |
LMST is local mean solar time, which can differ from your clock by an hour or more. The time the radiant is highest isn't a recommended start time; it can fall in twilight or daylight. Moon figures: USNO's one-day figure for each calendar date, requested for 39.83° N, 98.58° W (near the center of the contiguous US) at UTC−6. USNO doesn't say what time of day the figure applies to. Illumination only; check local moonrise and moonset.
Where they come from
“The parent comet 8P/Tuttle has an orbital period of 13.6 years. It passed its perihelion last on 2021 August 27.”
Source: IMO 2027 Meteor Shower Calendar (PDF)
When they're active
“The Ursids are often neglected because they peak just before Christmas and their rates are much lower than those of the Geminids, which peak only a week earlier.”
Source: AMS meteor shower calendar
“The Ursids (015 URS) reach their maximum on December 23, 4h UT.”
Source: IMO 2027 Meteor Shower Calendar (PDF)
Where to look
“There's a second meteor shower in December, the Ursids, radiating from Ursa Minor, the Little Dipper.”
Source: NASA JPL What's Up, December 2017
Ursids: radiant height and rise time, Dec 21, 2026
Our calculationFrom the radiant position on our calendar: right ascension (RA) 14.47 h, declination (Dec) +76° (AMS calendar data). Method on our About page.
| Latitude | Places near this latitude | Highest altitude | Radiant rises (approximate LMST) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30° N | Houston, New Orleans | 44° | Always above the horizon |
| 40° N | Columbus, Denver | 54° | Always above the horizon |
| 48° N | Seattle, northern Minnesota | 62° | Always above the horizon |
Ursids: radiant height and rise time, Dec 22, 2027
Our calculationFrom the radiant position on our calendar: right ascension (RA) 217°, declination (Dec) +76° (IMO 2027 calendar). Method on our About page.
| Latitude | Places near this latitude | Highest altitude | Radiant rises (approximate LMST) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30° N | Houston, New Orleans | 44° | Always above the horizon |
| 40° N | Columbus, Denver | 54° | Always above the horizon |
| 48° N | Seattle, northern Minnesota | 62° | Always above the horizon |
Highest altitude is when the radiant crosses due north-south. The rise time is when it clears a flat horizon, ignoring refraction, twilight and terrain.
How many to expect
“Observers normally see 5–10 Ursids per hour during the late-morning hours on the date of maximum activity. There have been occasional outbursts when rates exceeded 25 per hour.”
Source: AMS meteor shower calendar
“For the 2027 return there are no dust trail or filament encounters predicted. So the ZHR should be close to the average values of about 10.”
Source: IMO 2027 Meteor Shower Calendar (PDF)
ZHR is a standardized rate: what one observer would count in an hour under a perfectly dark sky with the radiant straight overhead. It isn't a forecast, and what you count is usually lower.
Famous displays
“This poorly-observed northern hemisphere shower has produced at least two major outbursts (in 1945 and 1986).”
Source: IMO 2027 Meteor Shower Calendar (PDF)
How to watch
“This shower is strictly a northern-hemisphere event, as the radiant fails to clear the horizon—or does so simultaneously with the start of morning twilight—when seen from the southern tropics.”
Source: AMS meteor shower calendar
“The Ursid radiant is circumpolar from most northern sites, so fails to rise for most southern ones. The radiant is highest in the sky towards the morning and is moon-free in 2027.”
Source: IMO 2027 Meteor Shower Calendar (PDF)
“Get to a dark spot, get comfortable, bring extra blankets to stay warm, and let your eyes adjust to the dark sky.”
Source: NASA Night Sky Network event page
For any meteor shower
“Most meteor showers are best observed between midnight and dawn.”
Source: AMS meteor FAQ
“Find a dark location with an unobstructed view and give your eyes at least 20–30 minutes to adjust. Full dark adaptation takes longer, so avoid bright lights and phone screens.”
Source: AMS meteor FAQ
“Meteor showers are best observed with the unaided eye. Binoculars and telescopes restrict your field of view, making it harder to catch meteors appearing across the sky.”
Source: AMS meteor FAQ
“Look toward a dark, clear part of the sky, roughly halfway between the horizon and directly overhead.”
Source: AMS meteor FAQ
“It is a standardized estimate of shower activity under ideal conditions: a very dark, clear sky with the radiant directly overhead. It is not the number most observers will actually see.”
Source: AMS meteor FAQ
How many meteors you actually see depends on the shower's activity that night, how dark your sky is, clouds, and how high the radiant is.
We don't know the weather on any given night. Check a forecast, and the calendar for the moon on each date.