Peaks December 21–22
Next peak: December 22, 2026 · up to ~10 meteors/hour from Ursa Minor.
A quiet, often-overlooked shower peaking around the December solstice, with the radiant near the bowl of the Little Dipper. Rates are usually around 10 per hour, though occasional outbursts have been recorded. Debris comes from Comet 8P/Tuttle.
A shower for dedicated northern observers: the circumpolar radiant means it's visible all night, but you'll need a genuinely dark sky to appreciate the modest rates.
You don't need a telescope or binoculars — meteor showers are best enjoyed with the naked eye and the widest view of the sky you can find. Get well away from city lights, give your eyes 20–30 minutes to adapt to the dark, dress warmly, and look up. The meteors can appear anywhere; they only trace back to the radiant in Ursa Minor.
The meteors streak out from the constellation Ursa Minor — find it, and you've found the radiant.