The Ursids (URS) are active Dec 17 – Dec 26 and peak around December 22, 2026, with a zenithal hourly rate of about 10 under ideal skies. They come from comet 8P/Tuttle, hit the atmosphere at 33 km/s, and are best seen pre-dawn. The moon will be about 96% illuminated at the peak.
Peak
Dec 22
2026
ZHR
10
meteors/hour, ideal sky
Moon at peak
96%
Waxing Gibbous
Radiant
RA 217°
Dec +76°
Ursids 2026: best time and expected rate by state
| State | Best time (local) | Radiant altitude | Est. rate/hour (dark sky) | Moon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 5:12 AM | 43° | 7 | 96% (up) |
| Alaska | 7:08 AM | 70° | 9 | 97% (up) |
| Arizona | 5:50 AM | 43° | 7 | 97% (up) |
| Arkansas | 5:35 AM | 45° | 7 | 96% (up) |
| California | 5:34 AM | 47° | 7 | 97% (up) |
| Colorado | 5:38 AM | 48° | 7 | 97% (up) |
| Connecticut | 5:35 AM | 51° | 8 | 96% (up) |
| Delaware | 5:34 AM | 49° | 8 | 96% (up) |
| District of Columbia | 5:41 AM | 48° | 7 | 96% (up) |
| Florida | 5:46 AM | 37° | 6 | 96% (up) |
| Georgia | 5:59 AM | 44° | 7 | 96% (up) |
| Hawaii | 5:40 AM | 30° | 5 | 97% (up) |
| Idaho | 6:20 AM | 54° | 8 | 97% (up) |
| Illinois | 5:27 AM | 50° | 8 | 96% (up) |
| Indiana | 6:18 AM | 49° | 8 | 96% (up) |
| Iowa | 5:56 AM | 52° | 8 | 97% (up) |
| Kansas | 6:00 AM | 48° | 7 | 97% (up) |
| Kentucky | 6:12 AM | 47° | 7 | 96% (up) |
| Louisiana | 5:21 AM | 39° | 6 | 96% (up) |
| Maine | 5:17 AM | 54° | 8 | 96% (up) |
| Maryland | 5:39 AM | 48° | 7 | 96% (up) |
| Massachusetts | 5:27 AM | 52° | 8 | 96% (up) |
| Michigan | 6:23 AM | 55° | 8 | 96% (up) |
| Minnesota | 6:03 AM | 57° | 8 | 97% (up) |
| Mississippi | 5:24 AM | 42° | 7 | 96% (up) |
| Missouri | 5:42 AM | 47° | 7 | 96% (up) |
| Montana | 6:23 AM | 58° | 8 | 97% (up) |
| Nebraska | 6:24 AM | 52° | 8 | 97% (up) |
| Nevada | 5:17 AM | 49° | 8 | 97% (up) |
| New Hampshire | 5:27 AM | 53° | 8 | 96% (up) |
| New Jersey | 5:29 AM | 50° | 8 | 96% (up) |
| New Mexico | 5:30 AM | 44° | 7 | 97% (up) |
| New York | 5:39 AM | 52° | 8 | 96% (up) |
| North Carolina | 5:51 AM | 45° | 7 | 96% (up) |
| North Dakota | 6:30 AM | 57° | 8 | 97% (up) |
| Ohio | 6:01 AM | 49° | 8 | 96% (up) |
| Oklahoma | 5:51 AM | 44° | 7 | 96% (up) |
| Oregon | 5:49 AM | 54° | 8 | 97% (up) |
| Pennsylvania | 5:37 AM | 50° | 8 | 96% (up) |
| Rhode Island | 5:30 AM | 51° | 8 | 96% (up) |
| South Carolina | 5:49 AM | 43° | 7 | 96% (up) |
| South Dakota | 5:34 AM | 54° | 8 | 97% (up) |
| Tennessee | 5:04 AM | 44° | 7 | 96% (up) |
| Texas | 5:49 AM | 39° | 6 | 96% (up) |
| Utah | 5:57 AM | 48° | 7 | 97% (up) |
| Vermont | 5:31 AM | 54° | 8 | 96% (up) |
| Virginia | 5:50 AM | 47° | 7 | 96% (up) |
| Washington | 5:56 AM | 58° | 8 | 97% (up) |
| West Virginia | 5:55 AM | 48° | 7 | 96% (up) |
| Wisconsin | 5:36 AM | 54° | 8 | 96% (up) |
| Wyoming | 6:02 AM | 54° | 8 | 97% (up) |
Computed for each state's central location on the peak night. Rate = ZHR × sin(radiant altitude); light pollution and haze reduce it further.
How to photograph a meteor shower
- Use your widest fast lens (14–24 mm, f/1.4–2.8) and point it about 45–60° away from the radiant, where meteors leave longer trails.
- Shoot continuously with an intervalometer: 10–25 s exposures at ISO 1600–6400 for as long as the batteries last.
- Bright meteors are rare — expect a handful of keepers from hundreds of frames, then composite them.
- Dew forms quickly on clear nights; a lens heater band saves the session.
- Choose a dark location from the state pages below and arrive before astronomical dusk to set up.
FAQ
When do the Ursids peak in 2026?
Around December 22, 2026; activity runs Dec 17 – Dec 26.
What time is best to watch the Ursids?
Pre-dawn, when the radiant is highest and the sky is darkest.
Will the moon interfere with the Ursids in 2026?
The moon is about 96% lit at the peak. Plan to shoot when the moon is down or keep it behind you.