As we continue to move through December we’re going to be facing the Ursids Meteor Shower. While not a major shower like the Geminids, this one is well worth noting.
The Ursids will be active from the time the Geminids end on the 17th to the 26th just after Christmas. It is another annual shower and will be peaking on the night of the 21st-22nd. It is a good chance for us to make last-minute Christmas wishes and is a shower that I personally love for a lot of reasons.
You don’t have to do anything special to view this one, just go outside at night and see what you find. Of course, make sure the sky is clear and you’re away from city lights but other than that you should be able to catch a few shooting stars. The best viewing hours for this one are just before dawn and at peak we should be able to see around 10 or so meteors per hour.
One thing I love about meteor showers is the energies they bring with them and this one is no exception. It will be offering us new beginnings and providing us with the chances we need to move forth more properly. I know, it might not sound that important but if you’ve been needing a breath of fresh air these energies might provide exactly that for you.
We’re all more or less on edge right now and this shower could essentially take that edge off energetically. It will be soothing and allow us a chance to relax, which is needed considering how this year has been and how frustrating the holiday to come will end up being as a result. We have a lot on our shoulders and through these energies, it might not feel as heavy, at least for a little while.
Earth Sky wrote as follows going over the Ursids:
The annual Ursid meteor shower runs from about December 17 to 26 each year and always peaks around the December solstice, which, in 2020, comes on December 21. The shower’s peak is probably the morning of December 22, but any of the next few mornings should yield some Ursids as well. Then, after the solstice and the shower’s peak, keep watching. You still might catch some!
Generally, the Ursids are a low-key affair, offering perhaps as many as five to 10 meteors per hour in a dark sky. In rare instances, bursts of 100 or more meteors per hour have been observed at times over the past century.
If you want to get out and make a few wishes, go for it. I for one will be doing-so. Meteor showers truly do sweep me off of my feet.