Ursid meteor shower is expected to peak on night of December 22

On the night of December 22, the Ursid star shower is expected to see peak shower activity. According to scientists' calculations, up to 10 falling meteorites can be seen in one hour that night, with a velocity of up to 33 km/sec. This year, the phenomenon coincides with the winter solstice and the longest night of the year.

The Ursid star shower begins on December 17 and usually lasts about a week. The activity peaks on different days in different years. For example, the maximum activity of the meteor shower in 2005 was recorded on December 20. Interestingly, the shooting star has been much more active in the past than in recent years. For example, in 1945, astronomers recorded up to 120 shooting meteors per hour, but now, as mentioned, you can only see about 10 meteors per hour.

The flow of Ursid meteor shower can only be observed from the Northern Hemisphere. The radiant, the region from which the meteorites fall, is located near Earth's north pole in the constellation Ursa Minor (lat. Ursa Minor ("Bear"), after which the shooting star is named). The progenitor of Ursid is Comet Tuttle (8p/Tuttle), discovered by French astronomer Pierre Mechain on January 9, 1790.

December 22 is the day of the winter solstice at 01:08 Yerevan time. According to the Byurakan Observatory, on this day the Sun passes through the lowest point in relation to the celestial equator during its visible movement through the light, which is considered the beginning of the astronomical winter. At this time, the longest night and shortest day of the year are observed, and the day is called the winter solstice.

After the winter solstice, the days begin to gradually lengthen and the nights shorten.