WASHINGTON — This Friday’s peak of the Quadrantid meteor shower offers the year’s first opportunity to witness celestial fireballs.
A waning crescent moon ensures excellent viewing conditions under clear, dark skies.
Unlike most meteor showers, which are named for their apparent origin constellation, the Quadrantids derive their name from a constellation that no longer exists, according to NASA’s William Cooke.
These meteors typically lack extensive trails, but their heads can appear as bright fireballs. NASA predicts a peak display of up to 120 meteors per hour.
Viewing opportunities continue until January 16. Here’s what to know about the Quadrantids and other meteor showers.
What is a meteor shower?
As Earth orbits the sun, it periodically passes through debris left behind by comets—and occasionally asteroids. The Quadrantids originate from the asteroid 2003 EH1.
When these high-velocity space rocks enter Earth’s atmosphere, they encounter atmospheric resistance, generating intense heat and ultimately combusting.
This burning often causes the surrounding air to glow briefly, creating a fiery tail—the familiar “shooting star.”
No special equipment is needed to view the various annual meteor showers; simply find a location away from city lights.
How to view a meteor shower
The ideal time to observe a meteor shower is in the early pre-dawn hours, when the moon is low in the sky.
Bright moonlight or artificial light pollution are the primary impediments to clear meteor viewing. Cloudless nights with a minimally illuminated moon provide optimal viewing conditions.
And keep your gaze upward; avoid looking at your phone to maintain your eyes’ adaptation to the darkness and maximize shooting star visibility.
The Quadrantids will peak on a night with a slender crescent moon, only 11% full.
When is the next meteor shower?
The Lyrids meteor shower will peak in mid-April.