Saudi Gazette report
JEDDAH — The skies over the Arab world are expected to witness the peak of the Ursid meteor shower during the pre-dawn hours of Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2025, coinciding with the astronomical start of winter.

The Ursids mark the final major meteor shower of the year, with favorable viewing conditions as the moon will be in its early crescent phase and is not expected to interfere with observations.

According to Jeddah Astronomical Society head Majed Abu Zahra, the Ursid meteor shower is active annually from Dec. 17 to 25, as Earth passes through debris left by the periodic comet 8P/Tuttle. When these particles enter Earth’s atmosphere at high speeds, they burn up at altitudes of around 80 to 120 kilometers, appearing as brief flashes and streaks of light in the sky.

Abu Zahra explained that viewing conditions improve when the shower’s radiant point rises above the northern horizon in the constellation Ursa Minor, with peak activity expected when the radiant reaches its highest elevation just before dawn. Under ideal conditions, the Ursids typically produce five to ten meteors per hour.

Although the Ursid meteor shower occurs every December, it is considered one of the more modest annual displays, especially when compared to highly active showers such as the Geminids or Perseids. Its debris stream is relatively narrow, meaning activity levels are usually low unless Earth passes through a denser cluster of particles.

The Ursids are visible each year across Saudi Arabia and the Northern Hemisphere when skies are clear.

Rare outbursts producing unusually high activity have been recorded only a few times, most notably in 1945 and 1986.

In recent decades, including observations from Saudi Arabia, the shower has followed its typical moderate pattern, making each clear viewing opportunity valuable for astronomy enthusiasts.