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It’s one of the last celestial events of the year.
Tuesday night into Wednesday morning marks the peak viewing period for the Ursid meteor shower, according to Space.com.
The show in the night sky happens every year from about Dec. 17 through Dec. 26, usually peaking on the winter solstice, the longest night of the year, around Dec. 21.
The shower radiates from the star Kochab in Ursa Minor or Little Bear, sometimes called Little Dipper, according to the website.
Bill Cooke, head of the NASA Meteoroid Environment Office, told CNN that the meteors come from debris left behind by Comet 8P/Tuttle.
The Ursid shower isn’t one of the biggest meteor showers — it averages about 10 meteors an hour, as opposed to the Geminids, which average more than 100 — but they are known for occasional bursts, which keep sky-watchers enthralled, according to EarthSky.
Look up! The annual Ursid meteor shower runs from about December 17 to 26 every year. It always peaks around the December solstice. This year, the peak is probably the morning of December 22. ☄️🌌
— EarthSky (@earthskyscience) December 19, 2021
Find out more about the Ursids and how to see them: https://t.co/rCEJMlPn3x pic.twitter.com/iwyMgloMo7
For those who want to check out the meteors, it will be a bit difficult this year. Because of the recent full moon, the night sky may be too bright, according to EarthSky.
For the amateur astronomers who want to try, head outside around midnight and bundle up. Viewers will have the best chance to see them in a rural area, away from artificial lights, according to EarthSky.
After this meteor show, the next one will be the Quadrantid shower, which runs from Dec. 26 to Jan. 16, 2022, peaking around Jan.2-3.
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