Christmas is upon us and so is the Ursid meteor shower! Here’s where to catch a glimpse if you’re spending the festive run-up in Germany.

Ursid meteor shower peaking on December 22, 2024

Adding a little more sparkle to Christmas, the Ursid meteor shower is set to be visible from Germany this week, from December 17 to 26 and peaking in the skies on December 22.

The light show's peak will commence at 10:40pm on the night of December 21. But the early robin catches the freshest of frosty worms, so if you want to see the skies at their starriest then you’ll have to be up by 4.00am on December 22 to look up. Remember your long johns. 

During its peak, the shower will send up to 150 meteors across the night sky every hour, which will be visible if the weather plays along. According to ARD, in 2024 we can look forward to dim moonlight, meaning the display will be more visible against the dark sky.

Where are the best places to see the Ursid shower?

If you want to catch a glimpse of one of the world’s most impressive meteor showers, be sure to wrap up warm and head out to areas without any light pollution.

This typically means as far away from cities as possible and towards forests, hills and, if you are lucky enough, mountains.

Thumb image credit: Diane Kulpinski / Shutterstock.com