Get Ready! You Don’t Want to Miss The Last Meteor Shower of 2017 That Will Light Up The Sky

There is no better way to send 2017 away but with a beautiful spectacle like the upcoming Meteor Shower! The International Meteor Organization reports that the Ursid Meteor Shower will be occurring from the 17th to the 26th of December, with a peak on the night of the 22nd and the 23rd.

The International Meteor Organization suggests that only the patient observers who don’t mind the cold and would sit out and wait for it may be able to see from 5 to 10 Ursids an hour in the pre-dawn hours.

The Ursids Meteor Shower is not the biggest one of 2017, especially in comparison to the Geminid Meteor Shower that just recently happened, or the Perseids, but it will definitely be worth the watch and it will be a great sight for all the people that will be brave enough to go outside and wait to witness the magic!

Bill Cooke, who leads NASA’s Meteoroid Environment Office said: “We call the Ursids the cursed Ursids because they occur so close to Christmas and no one wants to observe them.”

“This year we’re expecting an Ursid outburst. Normally, the Ursids have a rate of around 10 per hour, but this year, the Ursids may jump up to 40 or 50 per hour. We expect on December 22 to encounter a stream of material ejected from [Comet 8P/Tuttle] over a thousand years ago.” 

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The reason why this meteor shower is called the Ursids is because the radiant lies in the constellation of Ursa Minor, the Little Bear. This is the northernmost constellation in the heavens, so the radiant is circumpolar from northern latitudes, meaning it is always above the horizon.

You can see meteors at any time when the radiant of a shower is above the horizon.

If you live in the northern hemisphere, this means that you get the chance to see them for most of the night, since the radiant is circumpolar, which means it does not set for most northern latitudes. However, the radiant will be low down in the early part of the night, reducing the numbers of meteors. During the hours before dawn, it rises higher in the sky offering a better opportunity to see some.

Unfortunately, from locations in the southern hemisphere, the radiant never rises, so no Ursid meteors can be seen.

Just like with every meteor shower, the “shooting stars” can be witnessed and seen in any part of the big sky. The radiant is the point where the paths of these meteors intersect if you trace them back across the sky, which means it shows and marks the direction from where they arrive from the deeper space.

How to Watch the Ursid Meteor Shower

Bill Cooke suggests: “It doesn’t last very long. If you’re not out on the night of the peak, you’re going to miss it. Outbursts generally last on the order of a few hours.”

The Ursids will appear to emanate from the Little Dipper or Ursa Minor. However, you shouldn’t be staring at the radiant or the constellation to catch them. Instead, you want to be looking a little bit away from the constellation since the meteors are moving away from the radiant.

For a great viewing experience of the meteor shower, it is recommended to go to an open field, far from the city lights and avoiding any pollution. It is suggested to avoid pollution because the Ursid Showers are not large meteors, so even light pollution can mask the meteors and cause you to miss this amazing spectacle.

Compared to the big fireballs from the Geminids, you will be needing a dark sky to witness these meteors.

Once you decide on the location, try to arrive about half an hour before so you can settle and find your spot and allow your eyes to adjust to the scene and the dark skies. It is recommended to avoid using binoculars or using a telescope because they narrow your field of vision.

Jane Houston Jones from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory said: “Ursid meteors radiate from near the star Kochab in the Little Dipper. The star Polaris is also part of the Little Dipper. Can’t find the Little Dipper? Use the Big Dipper! No matter what time of year you look, the two outer stars in the Big Dipper’s bowl always point to Polaris, which marks the end of the handle of the Little Dipper.” 

What we recommend is to bring some hot tea, coffee or hot chocolate, dress up really warm and get ready for an adventure!

Original Image Source: NPS