YOU can see the Ursid meteor shower tonight – and may even be able to spot some on Christmas Day.
The annual winter space event is visible from Earth, and is a great chance to spot a blazing fireball soaring across the sky.
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What is the Ursid meteor shower?
The Ursids are meteors that shower across the sky in mid-to-late December.
It’s named after its “radiant” – or origin in the sky – near Ursa Minor’s Beta Ursae Minoris star.
The shower is actually debris cast off by comet 8P/Tuttle – a binary “peanut” comet of two parts, measuring about 4.5km.
It was a naked eye object in 2008 when it came particularly close to Earth, and is generally best known for creating the Ursids.
The Ursid meteor shower is one of the less impressive, with relatively fewer meteors.
But you’ve got a chance of seeing a meteor tonight if you’re lucky.
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When to see Ursid meteor shower
Meteor showers typically have their best visibility for a week or so.
And there’s always a “peak”, which is when you’ve got your best chance to see it.
For the Ursids, the peak is December 21 and 22, where you might see a few shooting stars per hour.
That means you’ll be able to get a good showing tonight, if you’ve got clear skies.
As we’re coming to the end of the peak, your best chances of seeing the shower are earlier this evening, once it’s fully dark.
Remember: they could appear from anywhere in the sky.
In terms of improving your chances, make sure you’re somewhere with a low horizon.
That means you’ll have more sky to view – so consider a large area of flatland, or sitting high up on a hill.
You’ll want to avoid light pollution, so trying to spot them in the centre of London or Manhattan isn’t ideal.
And you’ll want to give your eyes a while to adjust to the dark.
Sadly, you could still be scuppered by bad weather – so make sure you check the forecast before heading out into the cold night.
And consider bringing a pair of binoculars or a small telescope to get a better view of the night sky.
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What is a meteor?
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This post first appeared on Thesun.co.uk
