Meteor Shower
About
Ursids Meteor Shower
The Ursids are the year's quietest major meteor shower — debris from periodic comet 8P/Tuttle, radiating from near the Little Dipper's bowl in Ursa Minor. They peak every year right around the December solstice, this year on the night of December 21–22, producing a modest 5 to 10 meteors an hour under ideal conditions, with occasional unpredictable outbursts that have briefly reached 100 an hour in past years.
2026 is not an ideal year for the Ursids specifically — a nearly full Moon, just two nights from December's closest supermoon, will wash out all but the brightest meteors. But the Ursid radiant is circumpolar from far-northern latitudes, meaning it never sets. The chosen destinations may add to the experience with a genuine consolation prize, the aurora borealis. As for the meteors themselves, be patient and well-bundled. You may still catch an occasional Ursid fireball breaking through the moonlight.
Best Places to Experience
Ursids Meteor Shower
Dark-sky destinations that pair well with this celestial moment.
Southern Iceland
An hour from Reykjavík, this stretch of countryside sits far enough from city lights for genuinely dark skies, with some of the best viewing in the Northern Hemisphere.
Finnish Lapland, Saariselkä
Deep in the Urho Kekkonen National Park region, 250 kilometers north of the Arctic Circle, with some of Europe's clearest, darkest winter skies.
Swedish Lapland, Jukkasjärvi
On the banks of the Torne River north of the Arctic Circle, far enough from light pollution to view the Ursids.
Where to Stay
Resorts and lodges suited for turning the event into a full night-sky trip.
Hotel Rangá, Southern Iceland — a countryside lodge with its own astronomical observatory — two 11-inch telescopes — and an aurora wake-up call service for guests.
Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort, Saariselkä — glass-roofed igloos and the world's largest smoke sauna, deep in Finnish Lapland's aurora zone.
ICEHOTEL, Jukkasjärvi — a hotel rebuilt from ice and snow each winter, with a permanent year-round wing, on the banks of the Torne River.
What to Do
• Aurora wake-up call — many lodges offer a service that alerts guests the moment the northern lights appear, day or night.
• Guided observatory session — point a telescope at the Ursid radiant near the Little Dipper, then tour the rest of the winter sky.
• Geothermal hot-tub stargazing — soak in a naturally heated pool while watching for meteors and aurora overhead.
• Long-exposure aurora and meteor photography — a hands-on lesson in capturing both phenomena in the same frame.
What to Bring
• Serious cold-weather layers — this is the coldest itinerary of the year; pack for temperatures well below freezing. If you have never done this before, do not assume the clothes you have will be OK!
• Red light — a red-beam flashlight or headlamp preserves night vision during long waits between meteors.
• A sturdy tripod — essential for both aurora and meteor photography in near-total darkness.
• Reclining chair or ground pad — comfort matters more than urgency on a night this cold.
Your Night, Hour by Hour
How the night unfolds, from first dark to first light
FIRST
Evening: Face North
The Ursids radiate from between the Big Dipper and Little Dipper, near the star Kochab, a point so far north it never sets for most Northern Hemisphere viewers. Set up a reclining chair facing north, bundle up for one of the coldest nights on the calendar, and pour something hot. The radiant stays below the horizon in the Southern Hemisphere.
NEXT
Late Evening: Bright Meteors Only
A nearly full moon lights the sky for much of the night in 2026, washing out all but the brightest Ursids. Expect a handful rather than a stream. The long solstice night works in your favor, though: there's no need to rush, and plenty of darkness is still ahead once the moon goes down.
THEN
After Midnight: The Radiant Climbs
The Little Dipper swings higher in the northern sky through the early morning hours, lifting the radiant and improving your odds. Rates hover around 10 meteors per hour at best, sometimes arriving in short bursts. Ursids come from debris shed by Comet 8P/Tuttle, a 14-year comet that last passed through the inner solar system in 2021.
FINALLY
Before Dawn: The Darkest Stretch
Once the moon sets in the early morning hours, the sky goes fully dark while the radiant sits high. This is the best chance of the night for fainter Ursids. The shower has surprised observers before with outbursts near 100 meteors an hour. None is predicted for 2026, but it's a good reason to stay out until twilight.
Make the most of this dark-sky event.