WeatherFanatics: The Year's 'Strangest' Meteor Shower to Radiate Near the North Star

Sunday, December 21, 2014

The Year's 'Strangest' Meteor Shower to Radiate Near the North Star

By Michael Kuhne, AccuWeather.com Staff Writer

December 21,2014; 10:30PM,EST

As the skies darken Monday night, stargazers will have the chance to witness the streaking glow of the Ursid Meteor Shower, which will radiate from near Polaris.
"The Ursids may be the strangest meteor shower of all," Slooh Astronomer Bob Berman said. "It's the only one where the shooting stars seem to radiate from very near Polaris, the North Star."
For those wanting to view the meteors outdoors while listening to Slooh's live broadcast Monday night, a location far removed from city lights with a position facing the northern sky is recommend, according to a Slooh press release.

Those planning to the view the meteor shower outdoors should also wear warm clothing and pack blankets for additional warmth to protect against the cold.
Slooh.com will broadcast the celestial event live from their flagship observatory at the Institute of Astrophysics, Canary Islands and later from Prescott, Arizona, at Prescott Observatory, utilizing advanced low-light imaging equipment, specifically configured to track meteors
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Much of the eastern half of the United States will have poor-viewing conditions Monday night due to clouds from a disturbance across the upper Midwest and a coastal storm near the mid-Atlantic, according to AccuWeather.com Meteorologist Jordan Root.
"The best viewing conditions will be across the Southwest where skies will be crystal clear," he said.
Folks across southern Texas and parts of the central Plains may see extended breaks in the clouds that could offer some viewing time. Watch the event live at 8 p.m. EST:

The Ursids are the only meteor shower in which the best direction to view the event is due north, Berman added.
"It also boasts the slowest-moving meteors, which cross the sky at only half the speed of the more famous summer Perseids," he said. "These oddities make up for their skimpy numbers. It honestly takes a bit of patience to observe them, as they only appear once every six to twelve minutes."