When and where can the Ursids be observed, the final meteor shower to reach its peak in 2023?

When and where can the Ursids be observed, the final meteor shower to reach its peak in 2023?


The American Meteor Society reports that the peak of the Ursids meteor shower will occur on Thursday night and into Friday morning.

NASA has announced that the upcoming Ursids meteor shower, scheduled for 2023, will be the final one of the year. The shower originates from the Ursa Minor constellation, which is also referred to as the Little Dipper. The agency has warned that this particular event may only appeal to dedicated observers due to its occurrence during colder winter months in the Northern Hemisphere.

Here is some information about the Ursids meteor shower, including what causes it:

Every year, there are meteor showers where multiple meteors enter Earth’s atmosphere in a brief timeframe. The majority of these meteors disintegrate in space. The small number that successfully make it through Earth’s atmosphere and land on the ground are known as meteorites. According to NASA, those interested in astronomy should not anticipate discovering meteorites following a meteor shower.

According to a blog post from NASA, Bill Cooke, the director of the Meteoroid Environment Office at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, states that the majority of meteors are either colorless or white.

The upcoming meteor shower, known as the Quadrantids, is expected to reach its highest activity in the beginning of January. This particular shower will be active between December 26, 2023 and January 16, 2024. Following the Ursids and Quadrantids, there will be a significant gap before the next meteor shower occurs.

Aliza Chasan

Source: cbsnews.com