The Ursid meteor shower — the last major sky event of 2025 — peaks Sunday night into early Monday with an expected rate of about five to 10 meteors per hour. Best viewing is roughly midnight–5 a.m. ET (9 p.m. PT–2 a.m. PT) and is visible only from the Northern Hemisphere. The meteors come from debris shed by comet 8P/Tuttle, and Earth may cross a denser trail this year for a brief boost in activity. Find a dark site, face north about halfway up the sky, and watch for at least an hour.
How to Watch the Ursid Meteor Shower Tonight — Final Sky Show of 2025
The Jupiter Saturn Great Conjunction of 2020 coincided with the Ursid meteor shower, shown here above Ashland, Oregon. - davidhoffmannphotography/iStockphoto/Getty Images
The Ursid meteor shower, the last notable celestial event of 2025, will reach its peak between Sunday night and the early hours of Monday morning. Observers in the Northern Hemisphere can expect about five to 10 meteors per hour during the best viewing window.
Peak viewing window: roughly midnight–5 a.m. ET Monday (9 p.m. PT Sunday–2 a.m. PT Monday), according to Robert Lunsford, fireball report coordinator for the American Meteor Society.
Why This Night Is Good
The peak coincides with the winter solstice — the official start of winter in the Northern Hemisphere — which brings the longest night of the year. This year, a thin crescent moon means darker skies than usual, improving the odds of spotting fainter meteors.
Where The Meteors Come From
The Ursids originate from debris left by comet 8P/Tuttle. As Earth crosses the comet’s dust stream, small particles burn up in our atmosphere and appear as meteors. Experts say Earth may pass through a slightly denser trail of material this year, potentially producing a brief enhancement in activity.
Where To Look
The shower’s radiant — the point in the sky where meteors seem to originate — is in the bowl of the Little Dipper (Ursa Minor), near the bright orange star Kochab. Because the radiant stays relatively low for Southern Hemisphere observers, the Ursids are best (and essentially only) visible from Northern Hemisphere locations.
Viewing Tips
“It is highly suggested that one try to view from the darkest location possible,” Lunsford advises. Observers near cities may see fewer than five meteors per hour.
Practical tips:
- Find a dark site away from city lights and give your eyes 20–30 minutes to adjust to the dark.
- Face the northern half of the sky, but don’t stare straight up — aim about halfway between the horizon and zenith.
- Watch for at least an hour to improve your chances, since rates are modest compared with major showers like the Geminids.
- Bundle up — late December nights can be very cold.
What’s Next
The new year opens with the Wolf Moon (full moon) on January 3, which coincides with the Quadrantid meteor shower. While the Quadrantids can produce bright, slow fireballs, the full moon’s brightness will likely reduce the number of visible meteors.
Sources: American Meteor Society, EarthSky. Times are approximate; local visibility depends on weather, light pollution and exact location.
