Missed Geminid meteor shower? Here’s how you can catch glimpse of ‘Ursids’ on December 21

If you could not catch a glimpse of the Geminids, one of the major meteor showers whose peak viewing was on December 13, will be visible till December 21.

According to an Associated Press report, the shower often creates meteors with a distinctive yellow glow, likely due to the unique composition of the material, said Sally Brummel, planetarium manager at the University of Minnesota's Bell Museum.

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Under ideal conditions, the Geminid meteor shower is known for being one of the brightest and most spectacular displays of the year, with many meteors visible each hour. However, this year’s nearly full moon means that, as reported by the American Meteor Society, only about 15 meteors per hour were expected at peak.

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The moonlight “will wash out a lot of them," Brummel told AP.

Viewing lasts until 21 December.

What is a meteor shower?

Most meteor showers originate from the debris of comets, but a few — including the Geminids — result from the debris of asteroids. The Geminids come from the sun-orbiting asteroid 3200 Phaethon.

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When rocks from space enter Earth’s atmosphere, the resistance from the air makes them very hot. This causes the air to glow around them and briefly leaves a fiery tail behind them — the end of a “shooting star.” The glowing pockets of air around fast-moving space rocks, ranging from the size of a dust particle to a boulder, may be visible in the night sky.

When is the next meteor shower?

The next meteor shower, the Ursids, will peak on the evening of Saturday, Dec. 21, into the early morning hours of Sunday, Dec. 22. Stargazers heading out into the cold, clear winter night may witness up to 10 shooting stars per hour.

How to view an Ursid meteor shower?

Meteor showers are usually most visible between midnight and pre-dawn hours. It’s easier to see shooting stars under dark skies, away from city lights. Meteor showers also appear brightest on cloudless nights when the moon wanes smallest.

Here’s all you need to know about the Geminids and other meteor showers. It's one of the year's last chances to see fireballs in the sky.

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The Ursid meteor shower is visible from the Northern Hemisphere. Its radiant point is located near the Little Dipper asterism in Ursa Minor, close to Polaris. This means the radiant remains circumpolar in northern regions, never setting below the horizon, according to Starwalk Space.

In 2024, the Ursids will peak on the night of December 21-22, with a maximum of 10 meteors per hour. However, the light from the half-illuminated Moon may hinder optimal viewing conditions, said the report.