Between once in a lifetime comet and the poem meeting of Jupiter and Saturn for the big onion, 2020 was a big year for celestial onions. But 2021 gets off to a strong start with the peak of the Quadrantid shower, which NASA calls one of the “best annual meteor showers,” this weekend, from Saturday, Jan. 2, to Sunday, Jan. 3.
What are the Quadrantids?
According to NASA, the Quadrantids they return each year between December 28 and January 12. First seen in 1825, they originate from the small asteroid 1003 EH1, discovered by a Near-Earth Object Study Lowell Observatory in March 2003 .
The meteors appear to be radiating from a constellation called “Quadrans Muralis,” which no longer exists. However, that constellation is not the real source of meteors.
“Another name for the Quadrantids is the Bootids because the meteors seem to radiate from the modern Bootes constellation,” NASA says. “Even though the constellation is no longer recognized, it was thought to be a constellation long enough to name the meteor shower.”
The Quadrantids mark the final meteor shower of the season, ahead of several months with very little cloud activity at the start of the new year. According to the Meteor Association of America, it has the potential to be one of the strongest shows of the year, along with the Perseids and Geminids.
Through the short window from Saturday night to Sunday morning, there is a chance to see between 60 to 200 meteors per hour traveling at 25.5 miles per second. Quadrantids are known for bright fireball meteors, which are larger explosions of color and light that last longer than the average meteor climb.
Despite the shower’s capabilities, it will be short: the maximum activity window is only six hours.
“The reason the peak is so short is due to the thin flow of the shower grains and the fact that the Earth crosses the stream at a right angle,” NASA says.
Daniel López / NASA APOD
How to watch a Quadrantid shower
The Northern Hemisphere is the best place to see the Quadrantids, but bad weather in early January also makes sighting more difficult. Even if the skies are clear of clouds, an almost full gibbous moon shines brightly over the weekend, making meteor spots difficult.
Unlike many other popular meteor shows, which span several nights, seeing the Quadrantids is crucial to seeing meteors. According to Meteor International Group, the peak is expected to occur at around 14:30 UTC Sunday – meaning the best chance to see the shower in North America in the hours last Sunday morning.
As with all meteor displays, you will want to move away from the bright city lights for the best viewing conditions, lying flat on your back and taking about 30 minutes for your eyes to accept the darkness. . Clothes for winter weather and be patient – the show lasts until morning.
After the Quadrantids, another meteor shower will not occur for more than three months, when the Lyrids and Eta Aquariids return in April.