The Quadrantids are planning a big show this weekend, kicking off a new decade of celestial events.
2020 is poised to be a particularly good year for amateur astronomers hoping to catch the annual meteor shower, thanks to an active overnight period between late in the night of Friday, Jan. 3 and early morning on Saturday, Jan. 4.
“A lot of meteor showers last [for] days — the Quadrantids last a few hours,” NASA meteor expert Bill Cooke told Space.com.
The Quadrantids are not as highly regarded as other showers, such as the Geminids or Orionids, because they are more faint and easy to miss when conditions aren’t just right, Space.com reports. Weather and darkness permitting, stargazers could catch as many as 100 meteors during peak hours, said Cooke.
Here’s everything you need to know about the Quadrantids.
When and where to watch the Quadrantids meteor shower
Earth began its pass through the meteor system on Dec. 28, 2019, and will continue its course through Jan. 12 of this year, according to the International Meteor Organization (IMO), during which observers could spot up to 25 meteors per hour.
However, amateur astronomers will have the most luck between the night of Friday, Jan. 3 and and the following morning, when they could see several dozen an hour at the shower’s peak.
In North America, the best time to look up is after the moon sets around midnight, which “leaves good viewing conditions for expected Quadrantids maximum on Jan. 4,” around 3:20 a.m. EST (08:20 UTC), says the IMO. Unfortunately, a forecast of light rain in the Northeast overnight on Friday may hamper the view. Those on the West Coast, where conditions are clear this weekend, may fare better during their active period — just after midnight.
Best way to see the Quadrantids
From Earth’s perspective, meteor showers cluster around a certain point in the sky called the radiant. For the Quadrantids, astronomers recommend keeping an eye on the constellation Bootes, situated adjacent to Ursa Major (aka the Big Dipper) and Virgo. To find Bootes, follow the path of the Big Dipper’s handle across the sky towards the nearby red giant Arcturus, which serves as Bootes’ base star.
While the radiant point will appear most active, sky watchers who maintain a wide purview will be more likely to see the space rocks with longer, more radiant tails on the periphery, according to Space.com. The site also suggests showing up 20 to 30 minutes before peak viewing hours to give your eyes time to adjust to the darkness.
Origin of the Quadrantids’ meteor shower
Astronomers believe the Quadrantids are remnants from the asteroid 2003 EH1, which was likely “either a piece of a comet or a comet itself,” which then “became extinct,” according to Cooke. Some scientists think 2003 EH1 may be connected to Comet 96P/Machholz, which orbits the sun once every six years. According to Space.com, the first Quadrantids event was recorded in Europe in the 1820s and 1830s.
