Although winter air and a 54% full moon may make it more difficult to see the shooting stars clearly, you can follow some simple steps to enjoy this natural display.
The Ursid meteor shower will occur from December 17 to December 24, 2024. This will be the last major meteor shower this year. The best time to see it is around December 23, when showers are expected to be at their peak. The Ursid meteor shower occurs annually and was first observed by British astronomer William F. Denning in the early 1900s.
Although winter air and a 54% full moon may make it more difficult to see the shooting stars clearly, you can follow some simple steps to enjoy this natural display. According to Robert Lunsford, fireball reporting coordinator for the American Meteor Society, the best time to view the meteor shower is Sunday, December 23, from 4 to 5 a.m. ET (2 to 3 p.m. IST) point).
For North Americans, midnight to early morning is the best time to catch meteors. If you stay awake and watch carefully, you can see up to 10 meteors per hour. The best part is, you don’t need any special equipment as the meteors are visible to the naked eye.
For the best view of the meteors, face north with the moon behind you. Lie down comfortably and look into the sky so that the horizon is at the bottom of your field of vision. If there are trees or buildings in the way, try looking higher. The lower part of the sky is thicker and is where the most meteors are seen.
If you missed the Ursid meteor shower due to sleep or cloudy skies, don’t worry. Next is the Quadrantid meteor shower, which begins on December 26 and reaches its peak on January 3. The Quadrantid meteor shower will be easier to see because the moon is only 11% full, making it brighter and clearer.