The Ursids will peak Thursday night through the early morning hours of Friday, according to the American Meteor Society. Night owls braving the cold could see around five to 10 meteors per hour, the society said.
This year, the Ursids will be peaking on the same evening as the winter solstice, the longest night of the year for the Northern Hemisphere. On the evening of the solstice, the sun will be at its most southerly position at 8:27 p.m. MT, according to EarthSky.
Weather conditions allowing, the best time to view the meteors will be between 3 a.m. and dawn local time on Friday, after the moon has set, according to Robert Lunsford, fireball report coordinator for the society. The moon will be 74% full on the night of the peak, according to the American Meteor Society, and will interfere with meteor viewing earlier in the evening with its bright light, Lunsford said.
