MOSCOW, December 20. /TASS/. The Ursids meteor shower will rain down to illuminate the night sky on December 21-22, when the longest night of the year occurs, the Moscow Planetarium told TASS.
"The Ursids meteor shower will peak during the longest night of the year, or the winter solstice, on the night of December 21, with up to 10 meteors per hour to be seen," the astronomers said. However, the last celestial light show of the year will be visible in the Northern Hemisphere only, they noted.
The shower has been active since December 17 and will last until December 25-27. These dates mark when the Earth moves through the streams of particles trailing the Comet 8P/Tuttle, which is when the shooting stars can be viewed. The comet produces meteor activity as it makes a beeline for the Sun. Although observers can usually view as many as 10 to 15 meteors per hour at the shower’s peak, astronomers have recorded several unique celestial light shows previously.
"In 1945 and 1986, up to 100 meteors per hour could be observed, and in 1973, roughly 30 meteors per hour [were seen]," the Moscow Planetarium experts recounted.
The shooting stars can be seen without any special equipment, given perfect weather conditions. The radiant, or source from where the Ursids seem to radiate, is the constellation Ursa Minor.