Shortly before Christmas Eve, skygazers have another chance to see shooting stars in the night sky. According to the Association of Star Friends, the maximum of the Ursid meteor shower will be reached on December 23rd. The best way to observe the shooting stars is on December 22nd and 23rd in the morning from 4:30 a.m., said chairman Uwe Pilz at the request of the German Press Agency.
“On these days the electricity is relatively strong and the moon has set,” said Pilz, referring to the morning hours. There would then be around two hours left, weather permitting. Then the dawn becomes too bright. On the morning of Christmas Eve, the moon disturbs observation all night long.
Overall, the Ursids are a weaker stream and most of the meteors that enter the atmosphere are quite dark. Pilz said ten shooting stars per hour can be expected. “The Ursids appear all over the sky, but the view to the north is particularly worthwhile.” The Ursids appear to originate from the Little Dipper constellation. The actual cause of the Ursids is Comet 8P/Tuttle, whose orbit passes through the Earth.
