Ursid meteor shower - Wish upon a Christmas star

Ursid meteor shower
Wish upon a Christmas star

Man sits with telescope looking up at the Milky Way.

The Ursid meteor shower is at its peak, with shooting stars passing by ready for your Christmas wishes!

Though not the most active shower, with a peak of around 10 shooting stars an hour, the Ursids are the final meteor shower of the year.

Beginning on December 17th, and ending on Christmas Day, despite being at their peak right now, viewing conditions are difficult.

It is not until Wednesday that skies begin to clear, with the best visibility to be found in southern England and south-west Ireland as the shower begins to depart.

The Ursids are created by the debris stream left behind by Comet 8P/Tuttle, which returns annually.

Check the WeatherRadar to see how conditions will be for you. If you're lucky, you could find a shooting star for your Christmas wish!

Astrophotography tips with your phoneread more

Ryan Hathaway

More on the topic

A harbour in Crete with a reddish-brown, overcast sky

Friday, 3 April 2026

Blood red skies

Dust storm in Crete

On the left, the weather radar for Italy showing heavy rain; on the right, a flooded road

Thursday, 2 April 2026

Severe weather in Italy

Flooding and heavy snowfall

Split weather graphic showing breezy conditions across the UK and Ireland on the left with winds around 25–30 mph, and a rain band moving east across Ireland into Britain on the right.

Tuesday, 31 March 2026

Unsettled midweek

Wet & windy Wednesday for some

All weather news

This might also interest you

Weather map of the UK and Ireland showing scattered showers with cloudy patches across much of the region, especially around western and northern areas. Sunshine symbols appear over London, Cardiff, and parts of southern England, while temperatures range from 17°C to 18°C in most places. Areas of heavier rain are visible over the Atlantic to the west.

Friday, 29 August 2025

Breakfast brief

Unsettled conditions into the weekend

Weather graphic showing rain and wind fields over the Canary Islands and a central warning symbol.

Friday, 12 December 2025

Storm and rain

Turbulent weather in the Canary Islands

Split image showing aerial flooding in a town with muddy water covering roads on the left, and a rural road on the right blocked by heavy snowfall with vans stopped and a person walking in snow.

Tuesday, 27 January 2026

Storm Chandra

Flooding, gales, and heavy snow

All articles

Ursid meteor shower - Wish upon a Christmas star

Ursid meteor showerWish upon a Christmas star

Ursid meteor shower
Wish upon a Christmas star