Once again, the first meteor shower will be seen in the first fifteen days of the year. Specifically, the Quadrantids will reach their peak on Friday night, when it is expected that up to 120 meteors per hour can be observed. Additionally, a waning crescent moon means good visibility at night, which will ensure a better view of one of the most notable astronomical spectacles of the year.
Most meteor showers (although they are actually remnants of cosmic dust colliding with our atmosphere at high speeds) are named after the constellations from which they appear to originate in the night sky. However, the Quadrantids are named after the missing constellation Quadrans Muralis, pointed out by astronomer Joseph Lalande in 1795, and which, although no longer recognized by scientists, continues to give its name to this meteor shower.
These meteors do not usually have long tails, but their heads can appear as bright fireballs. The peak can reveal up to 120 meteors per hour, according to NASA. And, in order not to miss it, the place to locate is the Boyero constellation, which is located near the Big Dipper (for this reason, this meteor shower can barely be seen from the southern hemisphere).
But if you can’t keep an eye on the sky on Friday, don’t worry: the Quadrantids will not leave us until January 16 (although they will become less intense with each passing day).
What is a meteor shower?
As Earth orbits the Sun, several times a year it passes by debris left behind by comets and sometimes asteroids. The source of the Quadrantids is the remains of the asteroid 2003 EH1. When these tiny rocks enter Earth’s atmosphere, the debris encounters new resistance in the air and becomes very hot, until it eventually burns up. Sometimes the surrounding air glows briefly, leaving behind a tail of fire – the end of a “shooting star.”
How to see a meteor shower
The best time to see a meteor shower is in the early hours before dusk and early dawn, when the moon is low in the sky. Competing light sources (such as a bright moon or artificial glow) are the main obstacles to a clear view of meteors, although this year that won’t be a problem.
Also, remember that it takes a few minutes for your eyes to get used to the light, so don’t disturb them by looking at the mobile screen, focus on the spectacle that is unfolding before your eyes. Furthermore, to see the meteor shower, you do not need any device or tool. No telescope or binoculars. Just look at the sky away from the light pollution of the cities.
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