Breaking Update: Here’s a clear explanation of the latest developments related to Breaking News:The Ursid meteor shower peaks– What Just Happened and why it matters right now.
Although not as spectacular as the Geminids, the Ursid meteor shower peaks today under dark skies, so keep an eye out for shooting stars.
The Ursids’ radiant lies near the cup of the Little Dipper, which stands below the Big Dipper early in the morning. Credit: Stellarium
- The Ursid meteor shower reaches its peak on the morning of December 21st, presenting an approximate rate of 10 meteors per hour from a radiant near the Little Dipper, observable under dark, moonless skies across much of the Northern Hemisphere.
- Comet 24P/Schaumasse is anticipated to be visible in the early-morning sky around December 23rd, glowing at approximately 11th magnitude, as it prepares to enter the Virgo Cluster.
- Currently positioned in far southwestern Coma Berenices, the comet is located approximately 1.7 degrees northwest of the M98 galaxy and will traverse a region rich with other galaxies, including M99 and M100, throughout the remainder of the month.
- These astronomical observations coincide with the winter solstice on December 21st, with local sky data indicating a 9% waxing crescent Moon.
Looking for a sky event this week? Check out our full Sky This Week column.
December 21: The winter solstice
This morning offers a chance to catch the last major meteor shower of the year: the Ursids. This short-lived shower is active for only about a week and peaks this morning under dark, moonless skies.
Although the Ursids’ peak rate is just ⅒ that of the Geminids last week — meaning at its best, it will only produce about 10 meteors per hour — it’s still worth stepping outside before sunrise to see if you can catch a few shooting stars. In fact, the radiant in the north is visible all night for much of the Northern Hemisphere, meaning you can watch for meteors late on the 21st as well as again this evening.
The Ursids’ radiant is located just off the cup of the Little Dipper. It is nearly 50° high in the north by 5 A.M. local time, to the upper right of the North Star, Polaris. If you can find the Big Dipper in the northern sky — upside-down early this morning — look beneath its cup to find the matching, smaller cup of the Little Dipper. These cups always appear to pour into each other as the stars wheel around the North Celestial Pole, anchored by Polaris.
Sunrise: 7:19 A.M.
Sunset: 4:38 P.M.
Moonrise: 9:32 A.M.
Moonset: 7:04 P.M.
Moon Phase: Waxing crescent (9%)
*Times for sunrise, sunset, moonrise, and moonset are given in local time from 40° N 90° W. The Moon’s illumination is given at 10 P.M. local time from the same location.
Rising around midnight and visible in the early-morning sky of December 23, Comet 24P/Schaumasse glows at roughly 11th magnitude as it prepares to enter the rich Virgo Cluster.
Now in far southwestern Coma Berenices, Schaumasse is just 1.7° northwest of M98, an edge-on spiral galaxy that, at magnitude 10.1, glows slightly brighter than the comet. Not far away are M99 (a little farther southeast of Schaumasse) and M100 (about 3.4° east of the comet). M99 is a face-on spiral that contrasts nicely with M98, glowing at roughly the same magnitude (9.9). M100 is brighter at magnitude 9.3 — in fact, it’s one of the brighter galaxies in the Virgo Cluster, offering a lovely example of what astronomers call a grand design spiral, with well-defined arms wrapping around its bright nucleus.
Take your time with this region, enjoying the scene as the faint, fuzzy comet approaches the galactic gaggle. Schaumasse will be passing through this rich region for the rest of the month — hang onto the chart provided above to help you identify both the comet and the galaxies it’s passing over time.