Ursids meteor shower 2019: Watch final shooting stars of the decade LIVE

The final meteor shower of the decade will take place tonight, as Ursid meteors rain down on Earth. Stargazers will be able to see around 10 meteors per hour at its peak, with the majority of which coming between the hours of 11PM and 5AM. A live stream catering to US audiences works out better for those in the UK, as it will be ongoing by the time most people awake on Sunday, December 22.

The stream, courtesy of YouTube channel Astronomy Live Stream, will begin at 4AM UK time on Sunday.

The Ursids meteor shower originate from the Comet 8P/Tuttle, and come from near the bowl of the Little Dipper Constellation making them easy to spot from northern latitude.

Website Space Weather said: “This is a minor shower, but a beautiful one because it occurs on a long dark near the northern winter solstice.”

In previous years, the meteors have been more spectacular.

In 1945 and 1986, for instance, 50 meteors per hour were reportedly observed, but experts admit such events are rare.

Speaking about this year’s Ursids meteor shower, Bill Cooke a NASA meteor expert told Space.com: “We’re not expecting an outburst. But the Ursids have surprised us before.”

According to the Royal Observatory Greenwich, a crescent moon tonight will help the shower become more visible to star gazers.

The observatory said: “This year, the peak of the Ursids coincides with a waning crescent Moon, meaning that despite the shower’s sparse nature you may just be able to see a few shooting stars.

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If in your area the clouds do manage to clear up for a considerable amount of time, the Royal Observatory has said the best place to see the meteor shower is away from any light pollution.

The observatory said on its website: “For the best conditions, you want to find a safe location away from street lights and other sources of light pollution.

“The meteors can be seen in all parts of the sky, so it’s good to be in a wide open space where you can scan the night sky with your eyes.

“But if you trace the paths that the meteors take, they seem to originate from the Ursa Minor constellation.”

source: express.co.uk