This holiday you might be able to catch the last display of shooting stars of the year as the annual Ursid meteor shower, which starts around mid-December, is expected to peak during the winter solstice on Friday and Saturday, Dec. 21 and Dec. 22.
The cold moon—what a full moon is called this time of year—will also be visible around the same time and peaking around mid-day on Dec. 22, Quartz reported.
This will be the first time in eight years that the cold moon and the Ursid meteor shower coexist, with their peaks just 24 hours apart.
There are typically between five and 10 Ursid meteors, or shooting stars, over the course of an hour. This year the meteoric display is expected to double, although it might be harder to see with the brightness of the full moon, according to Space.com. Because of this year’s overlap, NASA’s meteor expert Bill Cooke dubbed the meteor shower the “Cursed Ursids.”
Friday night is the best time to see the full cold moon. Due to the moon’s coinciding with the Ursid meteors, the best time to see the shower will be the evening of Dec. 20 or Dec. 21, the longest day of the year.
According to Space.com, the best way to see the Ursid meteors is away from any street lights. Give your eyes about a half hour to adjust to the darkness before taking a look.
