The annual December meteor shower, the Ursids, peaks on Saturday (Dec. 23), offering skywatchers willing to brave the cold the opportunity to see meteors in the form of bright streaks of light and the occasional fireball.
The Ursids is a relatively low-key meteor shower that is active between Dec. 17 and Dec. 26, meaning skywatchers will be able to view meteors from it through Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. The Ursids gets its name from the fact the majority of its meteors appear to stream in from the constellation of Ursa Minor, with astronomers calling this point of high activity the radiant of this meteor shower.
