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Shooting stars in December 2020: Ursid showers just before Christmas - where can you see them today?

2020-12-23T09:37:44.785Z


The shooting stars in December 2020 have another high point just before the end of the year. We explain how best to see the spectacle.


The shooting stars in December 2020 have another high point just before the end of the year.

We explain how best to see the spectacle.

  • The

    Ursids

    are among the

    shooting stars

    in December.

  • Most of them can be seen around

    December 22nd and 23rd

    .

  • If you want to watch the shooting stars, you should look at the constellation Little Dipper.

Munich - Every year around Christmas time, the Ursids shine in the sky.

These shooting stars occur regularly

between December 17th and 26th

.

The Ursids reach their maximum, at which most falling stars can be seen in the sky, from December 22nd to 23rd.

This year it's a Tuesday and a Wednesday.

Why do the shooting stars fall at the same time in December every year?

The Ursids come from

comet P8 / Tuttle

.

Every December, the earth crosses its orbit and encounters fragments of the comet.

When these pieces

burn up

in the

earth's atmosphere

, the shooting stars are created, which we can clearly see at night.

The Ursids follow the 2020 Geminids shooting stars, which will peak in mid-December.

Where did the Ursids get their name from?

The origin of the name Ursiden is similar to the origin of the name of other

meteor showers

.

The

Ursids

radiant

is located in the

Ursa Minor

constellation

.

The radian is the point from which the shooting stars appear when looking from the earth to the sky.

Although the shooting stars do not really come to earth from the constellation, the term Ursa Minor has become the word Ursiden.

Incidentally, the constellation is better known as Little Bear or Little Dipper.

The Pole Star forms the outer end of Ursa Minor.

+

The Big Dipper is on the right, the Small Dipper on the left.

The North Star is here at the very top at the outer end of the smaller constellation.

© A.Fujii / DavidxMalinxImages / Novapix / Leemage NOVACST3800105H

Where can you best see the Ursids in December 2020?

The Ursids occur in the entire

northern hemisphere

, but only there.

The southern hemisphere does

not get to see

these falling stars in

December

.

In the north, however, it makes no further difference where you are.

In principle you can see the shooting stars everywhere.

The most important tip is therefore of a very general nature: Find a place where there are as few light sources as possible near you.

Otherwise your eyes will not be able to see the spectacle in the sky well and you will miss many falling stars.

Locations outside of cities are best.

Pick the right

constellation

at night

and focus your attention on this region of the sky.

This works well if you orientate yourself to the north and look out for the North

Star

with its bright glow

in that direction

.

Then Ursa Minor has also been found automatically.

What are shooting stars and why do they keep coming back?

From the earth they are only a shine of light that is marked with a tail in the sky.

What is popularly known as shooting stars is actually called

meteors

in astronomical

terms

.

These are

rocks

or

dust particles

that burn up in the atmosphere.

The same phenomenon is always hidden behind a shooting star.

The brightness can still vary significantly because meteors are very different in size.

There are many objects that are in orbit around the Sun and are much smaller than planets or asteroids.

The earth goes through

several

meteor streams

in its

orbit over

the course of a year

, each of which is given its own name.

The meeting between earth and meteor streams can therefore be clearly calculated.

In November it was the turn of the 2020 Leonid Shooting Stars.

After the Ursids come the Quardantids at the end of December and beginning of January.

A total solar eclipse can also be seen in December 2020 - but not in Germany.

(rm)

Source: merkur

All news articles on 2020-12-23

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