With many personal New Year’s Eve celebrations and fireworks either reduced or totally canceled this week, flashy fans the events that take place in the night sky could have been disappointed. But not everything is lost. In fact, nature has its own displays of light to enjoy as we lighten up to 2021. It comes in the form of the annual meteor shower of the Quadrantids, which reaches its peak tonight. Here’s how to see it.
What are Quadrantids?
Technically, the Quadrantide meteor shower started last year – December 28, 2020, to be specific – but it is peaking tonight. And what is so special about these meteors? In addition to being the first of the year, they are also among the best, according to NASA, due to the rapid entry (at a rate of 60 to 200 meteors per hour), and because they are bright fireballs that often come on colorful trails.
How to watch the Quadrantids at the top
Like most astronomical events, catching Quadrantids at the top requires some planning. While many meteor showers have a peak which lasts a day or two, it ended in a few hours – so it is important to correct your time.
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There is also the challenge falling gibbonous moon, which will be 84% full Tonight, making it harder to notice less prominent meteors. (Although the fact that Quadrantids involve bright fireballs means that some should be visible even with the bright moon.)
There is no set timetable for tonight’s peak, although experts estimate it will likely be between 2 in the morning and dawn in the early morning of January 3rd. Quadrantids will be most visible in the northern hemisphere, especially in the western United States. To learn more about Cadrantide – including what’s happening to them this year and how they’ll be affected by the weather tonight –EarthSky covered you.