Last meteor shower of 2021 to peak on night of December solstice
By
Brian Lada, AccuWeather meteorologist
Published Dec 19, 2021 1:00 AM EST
|
Updated Dec 21, 2021 10:24 AM EST
Dec. 21 doesn’t just mark the beginning of winter for the Northern Hemisphere; it is also the peak of the Ursid meteor shower. Look for some shooting stars during the changing of the seasons!
The longest night of the year will have an extra sparkle in the sky as the Ursid meteor shower peaks just hours after the December solstice.
The December solstice marks the official start of astronomical winter in the Northern Hemisphere and comes three weeks after the official start to meteorological winter, which is Dec. 1. This year, the solstice occurred on Dec. 21 at 10:59 a.m. EST.
The December solstice marks the time when the sun's most direct rays are focused on the Tropic of Capricorn in the Southern Hemisphere, resulting in the longest day and shortest night of the entire year for countries south of the equator.
Meanwhile, the Northern Hemisphere experiences the shortest day followed by the longest night of the entire year. The long nights provide ample time for stargazing, and with the elongated nights comes the final meteor shower of 2021.
The Ursid meteor shower is a minor meteor shower that peaks on the night of Tuesday, Dec. 21, into the early hours of Wednesday, Dec. 22.
"The Ursids are often neglected due to the fact [the shower] peaks just before Christmas and the rates are much less than the Geminds," the American Meteor Society said on its website. The Geminids typically peak about a week before the Ursids.
Only around five to 10 meteors per hour can be seen during the culmination of the Ursids, but it is one of the final chances to watch a meteor shower until the end of April.
Two meteors streaking through the sky on Dec. 15, 2015. (Rodrigo.Argenton)
Most of the U.S. is projected to have partly to mostly clear conditions for the peak of the Ursids, an uncommon occurrence for late December when widespread clouds often cover the country.
Clouds will be an issue for onlookers across most of the West Coast and northern Rockies, as well as portions of the northern Plains, East Coast and sections of Canada.
Even where there are cloud-free conditions, it may be difficult to view the Ursids this year as the shower peaks just a few nights after the full cold moon. For the best chance to spot some shooting stars, it is best to focus on darker areas of the sky without the moon in sight.
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After the climax of the Ursids, there will only be one more meteor shower before a lengthy meteor shower drought begins.
The Quadrantids peak on the second night of 2022 and is not a typical meteor shower. Unlike most meteor showers that have a peak that lasts several nights, the peak of the Quadrantids only lasts a few hours, so a bit of luck is needed to see the event.
After the brevity of the Quadrantids, skywatchers will have to wait until the Lyrids peak in late April for the next opportunity to view a meteor shower.
For the latest weather news check back on AccuWeather.com. Watch the AccuWeather Network on DIRECTV, Frontier, Spectrum, fuboTV, Philo and Verizon Fios. AccuWeather Now is now available on your preferred streaming platform.
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News / Astronomy
Last meteor shower of 2021 to peak on night of December solstice
By Brian Lada, AccuWeather meteorologist
Published Dec 19, 2021 1:00 AM EST | Updated Dec 21, 2021 10:24 AM EST
Dec. 21 doesn’t just mark the beginning of winter for the Northern Hemisphere; it is also the peak of the Ursid meteor shower. Look for some shooting stars during the changing of the seasons!
The longest night of the year will have an extra sparkle in the sky as the Ursid meteor shower peaks just hours after the December solstice.
The December solstice marks the official start of astronomical winter in the Northern Hemisphere and comes three weeks after the official start to meteorological winter, which is Dec. 1. This year, the solstice occurred on Dec. 21 at 10:59 a.m. EST.
The December solstice marks the time when the sun's most direct rays are focused on the Tropic of Capricorn in the Southern Hemisphere, resulting in the longest day and shortest night of the entire year for countries south of the equator.
Meanwhile, the Northern Hemisphere experiences the shortest day followed by the longest night of the entire year. The long nights provide ample time for stargazing, and with the elongated nights comes the final meteor shower of 2021.
The Ursid meteor shower is a minor meteor shower that peaks on the night of Tuesday, Dec. 21, into the early hours of Wednesday, Dec. 22.
"The Ursids are often neglected due to the fact [the shower] peaks just before Christmas and the rates are much less than the Geminds," the American Meteor Society said on its website. The Geminids typically peak about a week before the Ursids.
Only around five to 10 meteors per hour can be seen during the culmination of the Ursids, but it is one of the final chances to watch a meteor shower until the end of April.
Two meteors streaking through the sky on Dec. 15, 2015. (Rodrigo.Argenton)
Most of the U.S. is projected to have partly to mostly clear conditions for the peak of the Ursids, an uncommon occurrence for late December when widespread clouds often cover the country.
Clouds will be an issue for onlookers across most of the West Coast and northern Rockies, as well as portions of the northern Plains, East Coast and sections of Canada.
Even where there are cloud-free conditions, it may be difficult to view the Ursids this year as the shower peaks just a few nights after the full cold moon. For the best chance to spot some shooting stars, it is best to focus on darker areas of the sky without the moon in sight.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP
After the climax of the Ursids, there will only be one more meteor shower before a lengthy meteor shower drought begins.
The Quadrantids peak on the second night of 2022 and is not a typical meteor shower. Unlike most meteor showers that have a peak that lasts several nights, the peak of the Quadrantids only lasts a few hours, so a bit of luck is needed to see the event.
After the brevity of the Quadrantids, skywatchers will have to wait until the Lyrids peak in late April for the next opportunity to view a meteor shower.
For the latest weather news check back on AccuWeather.com. Watch the AccuWeather Network on DIRECTV, Frontier, Spectrum, fuboTV, Philo and Verizon Fios. AccuWeather Now is now available on your preferred streaming platform.
Report a Typo