Ursids meteor shower 2026

The Ursids peak on the night of December 21–22, 2026. A small shower around the December solstice; the radiant is up all night for northern observers.

Peak night

December 21–22, 2026

Active

December 17 – 26

Rate at peak

up to ~10 per hour (dark sky)

Radiant

Ursa Minor (near the Little Dipper)

Moon at peak

95% lit · bright Moon — only the brightest meteors

Source

Comet 8P/Tuttle

How to watch

Get away from city lights — even a short drive helps a lot.
Lie back and look about halfway up the sky, not straight at the radiant.
Give your eyes 20 minutes to adjust, and keep your phone screen off.
The best hours are usually after midnight until dawn.

Keep that night

Turn it into a star map poster — the real stars and this exact Moon.

See my sky free for December 22, 2026

Other meteor showers

Orionids 2026 · Leonids 2026 · Geminids 2026 · Quadrantids 2027 · Lyrids 2027 · Eta Aquariids 2027 · Perseids 2027 · Draconids 2027 · Full calendar

Questions

When is the Ursids meteor shower 2026?

It peaks on the night of December 21–22, 2026, and is active from December 17 – 26.

How many Ursids meteors will I see?

Up to about 10 an hour under perfect dark skies with the radiant high; from suburbs or with a bright Moon, far fewer.

Where do the Ursids come from?

Dust left behind by Comet 8P/Tuttle. The meteors appear to come from Ursa Minor (near the Little Dipper), but they can appear anywhere in the sky.