Tonight will see the peak of the Quadrantid meteor cascade , one of the lesser - known shooting star showers of the year . It wo n’t be as large or bright as some of the more noted cascade like theGeminidsor theLeonids , but it ’s still a great excuse to direct out and do some stargazing to lionise the new year .
If you ’d wish to check out out this event , we have advice on how to find out the shower in person — or a livestream option for those who fancy seeing the raft without venturing out into the cold .
What is the Quadrantid meteor shower?
A meteor rain shower come about when Earth passes through the detritus left behind by an asteroid or comet . As this debris is in one place in Earth ’s orbit , meteor shower happen each year at roughly the same time each year . The Quadrantids are thought to be the final result of debris from asteroid 2003 EH1 , which is think to have once been a comet . A comet is made up of internal-combustion engine and rock , but over time this ice is expelled as the body comes nigh to the Lord’s Day and warms up , make a comet ’s typical quarter . Once all a comet ’s chicken feed has been expelled in this way , the remaining core of tilt is more like an asteroid .
The Quadrantid meteoroid shower peak on the dark of 3rd to the 4th of January , with up to 110 meteors seeable per hr at the peak . These meteors are visible as bright bar in the sky . This is cause by debris from the asteroid entering the atmosphere at up to 40 miles per second , burn up , and creating the streak of light .
Unlike other meteor showers , which can last all nighttime , the Quadrantids peak during a window of just a few hours , so if you desire to watch the shower , then you need to be careful with your timing .
How to watch the Quadrantid meteor shower
To catch the meteors at their superlative , you ’ll postulate to search up at the sky during a particular period . According toNASA , “ the best time to look may be the morning of January 4 for the minute or two before the moon get up ( at 2:29 a.m. ET ) , as moonlight will interfere at the time of the predicted prime at 4 a.m. ET . ” Of course , you ’ll require to hope for open sky as well , as meteors wo n’t be seeable if there is cloud natural covering .
For the best view of the shower bath , find a location away from brilliant lights and convey a chair with you . Sit back and see up at the sky — you do n’t need a telescope or field glasses — and give your eye around half an time of day to adjust to the darkness . The meteors should be visible across the full sky , so wrap up warm and be patient .
However , if you do n’t need to head out , then you may also check out thelivestream from the Subaru telescopein Hawaii , which will provide its sensational ( and ordinarily cloudless ) perspective of the sky , include the meteor shower , tonight .
