How To Watch This Festive, Last Meteor Shower Of 2018 In Amarillo

The last meteor shower of 2018 is on the way, and it's pretty festive. The Ursids meteor shower will be visible this Friday night (12/21) and in the early, early hours of Saturday (12/22).

All you will really need to do in order to see the show is look to the north. The Ursids will be focused mainly around the north star.

As we all get ready for Santa's yearly ride, this meteor shower is the pregame show. While it usually isn't one of the biggest showers of the year, there have been occasions where this shower has produced 100 meteors in an hour!

The optimal times for viewing will between the time that the moon "sets" but before the sun "rises." While this may mean some incredibly late night/early morning viewing, the shower should be visible earlier in the night as well.

When you're looking for the shower, be sure to look for the little dipper. The north star will be at the end of its handle.

Once you've found the north star, adjust your gaze slightly over to Kochab. According to sources this will be the focal point you'll want to watch.

If you need a little help, here is a handy map for you to use when trying to identify the stars.

The show should be somewhat impressive, and it's very timely. The meteor shower will appear to come from the north, focused around the north star. It will be like a fireworks show before Santa loads up his sleigh and comes to town for a late night visit.

Happy holidays, and happy gazing this Friday night!