Between once in a lifetime comet and the epic the meeting of Jupiter and Saturn for the great conjunction, 2020 was an important year for celestial phenomena. But 2021 is off to a strong start with the Quadrantid meteor shower, which NASA calls one of the “best annual meteor showers,” from Jan. 2 to Jan. 3.
What are Quadrantids?
According to NASA, Cadrantide they return each year between December 28 and January 12. First seen in 1825, they come from the small asteroid 1003 EH1, which was discovered in March 2003 by the Lowell Near-Earth Object Search Observatory.
Meteors seem to radiate from a constellation that no longer exists, called “Quadrans Muralis”, but this constellation is not the real source of meteors.
“An alternative name for Quadrantids is Bootids, because meteors appear to radiate from the modern constellation Bootes,” says NASA. “Even though the constellation can no longer be recognized, it was considered a constellation long enough to name meteor showers.”
The quadrants mark the last meteor shower of the season, before a few months with little celestial activity. According to the American Meteorological Society, it has the potential to be the heaviest rain of the year, along with Perseids and Geminids.
In the short window from Saturday night to Sunday morning, there is a chance to observe between 60 and 200 meteors per hour traveling at 25.5 miles per second. Quadrantids are known for bright meteorites with fireballs, which are larger bursts of light and color that last longer than the typical meteorite stripe.
Despite the potential of the shower, it will be short: the maximum activity window is only six hours.
“The reason the tip is so short is because of the thin flow of particles in the shower and the fact that the Earth crosses the stream at a perpendicular angle,” says NASA.
Daniel López / NASA APOD
How to track Quadrantid meteor showers
Quadrantids are best viewed in the northern hemisphere, but bad weather in early January also makes viewing more difficult. Even if the sky is clear of clouds, a waning waning moon will continue to shine brightly throughout the weekend, making it difficult to observe meteors.
Unlike many other popular meteor showers, which peak overnight, synchronization of Quadrantid viewing is essential for meteor detection. According to the International Meteorological Organization, the peak is expected to occur around 14:30 UTC on Sunday – which means that the best chance to view the North American shower will be in the hours before Sunday morning.
Like all meteor showers, you will want to get rid of all the bright lights of the city for optimal viewing, lying on your back and giving your eyes about 30 minutes to adjust to the darkness. Get dressed for the winter weather and be patient – the show will last until dawn.
After Cadrantide, another meteor shower will not take place for more than three months, when Lyrids and Eta Aquariids will return at the end of April.