Ursids 2026
A modest solstice shower from a near-circumpolar northern radiant, easy to overlook next to the Geminids.
The Ursids reach maximum on December 22, 2026, with a peak rate of up to 10 meteors per hour under ideal dark skies (active Dec 17 – Dec 26). A bright 99%-lit Full Moon is up through much of the peak night and will drown out all but the brightest meteors. A poor year. This is a sharp maximum only a few hours wide, so the exact night and time matter: check the timing for your own location before heading out.
About the Ursids
The date of maximum is taken from the IMO Working List of Visual Meteor Showers; the radiant, velocity and parent body come from the IAU Meteor Data Center. Only the Moon phase and interference are computed for the year and location shown.