The Ursids Meteor Shower Peaks on December 23—Here's How to Watch

The Little Dipper meteor shower, also known as the Ursids, returns each December. This year, its peak falls on December 23, offering a quiet but steady display of shooting stars. Though not as dramatic as other showers, it remains a reliable event for patient skywatchers.

The Ursids run annually from December 17 to 26. Their name comes from the Little Bear constellation (Ursa Minor), near Polaris, the North Star. The meteors themselves are tiny fragments of Comet Tuttle, which orbits the Sun every 13.6 years. As Earth passes through the comet's debris trail, dust and rock burn up in the atmosphere at around 80 kilometres high.

Under ideal conditions, observers can spot five to ten meteors per hour during the peak. In rare years, this number climbs to 25. The best views come after midnight, with the northern horizon as the focal point. Despite its predictability, the Ursids have seen no confirmed sightings in recent years. Between 2021 and 2026, no global reports of the shower were documented—only unrelated events, like a fireball over Germany in March 2026, appeared in records.

The Ursids remain one of the lesser-known annual meteor showers. Their modest rates and December timing often mean fewer observers. Yet for those willing to brave the cold, the shower provides a chance to see meteors from a distant comet's leftover trail.