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WASHINGTON (AP) — When the Quadrantid meteor shower reaches its peak on Friday, it will offer the year’s first opportunity to witness fireballs in the night sky.
A waning crescent moon will provide excellent visibility in clear and dark conditions.
Most meteor showers are titled after the constellations from which they appear to emanate in the night sky. However, the Quadrantids are named after a constellation that no longer exists, according to NASA’s William Cooke.
These meteors typically do not have lengthy trails, but the heads can shine brightly as fireballs. NASA estimates the peak may produce up to 120 meteors per hour.
Viewing will continue until January 16. Here’s essential information about the Quadrantids and additional meteor showers.
What constitutes a meteor shower?
As Earth orbits around the sun, several times a year it travels through remnants left by passing comets and sometimes asteroids. The source of the Quadrantids is particles from the asteroid 2003 EH1.
When these swift-moving celestial rocks enter Earth’s atmosphere, the debris faces new resistance from the air, heating up significantly until it eventually incinerates.
At times, the adjacent air glows briefly, leaving behind a luminous tail — the end of a “shooting star.”
You don’t require specialized equipment to observe the various meteor showers that occur each year; just a location away from urban light pollution.
How to observe a meteor shower
The optimal moments to view a meteor shower are in the early hours before dawn, particularly when the moon is situated low in the sky.
Competing light sources — such as a bright moon or artificial illumination — are the primary barriers to a clear view of meteors. Nights devoid of clouds when the moon is at its smallest are ideal viewing scenarios.
Keep your gaze directed upward, not downward. Your eyes will be more adept at spotting shooting stars if you refrain from checking your phone.
The Quadrantids will peak on a night featuring a slender crescent moon, just 11% illuminated.
When is the subsequent meteor shower?
The following meteor shower, the Lyrids, is expected to peak in mid-April.
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