Enter a blow to life comet and the epic meeting of Jupiter and Saturn for the great conjunction, 2020 was a great year for celestial phenomena. But 2021 starts strong with the peak of the Quadrantid meteor shower, which NASA calls one of the “best annual meteor showers,” from Jan. 2-3.
What are Quadrantids?
According to NASA, the Quadrantids they return each year between December 28 and January 12. They were first seen in 1825 and originated from the small asteroid 1003 EH1, which was discovered in March 2003 by the Lowell Observation Near-Earth Object Search.
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, as it appears that meteors radiate from the modern constellation of Bootes,” says NASA. “Although the constellation can no longer be recognized, it was considered a constellation long enough to name the meteor shower.”
The Quadrantids mark the meteor shower end of the season, before several months with little celestial activity. According to the American Meteor Society, it has the potential to be the heaviest rain of the year, along with the Perseids and Geminids.
During the brief window Saturday night through Sunday morning, there is the possibility of detecting between 60 and 200 meteors per hour traveling at 25.5 miles per second. Quadrantids are known for bright fireball meteors, which are larger bursts of light and color that last longer than the typical meteorite streak.
Despite the potential of the shower, it will be brief: the window of maximum activity is only six hours.
“The reason the peak 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 see Quadrantid meteor shower
Quadrantids are best seen from the northern hemisphere, but bad weather in early January also makes it difficult to see. Even if the skies are clear of clouds, an almost full waning gibbous moon will continue to glow throughout the weekend, making it difficult for meteorites to appear.
Unlike many other popular meteor showers, which peak during several nights, time to visualize the Quadrantids is essential for detecting meteors. According to the International Meteorological Organization, the peak is expected to occur around 14:30 UTC on Sunday, meaning the best opportunity to see rain in North America will be in the early hours of Sunday morning. .
Like all meteor showers, you’ll want to get away from all the bright lights of the city for a better view, lying on your back and leaving your eyes about 30 minutes to adjust to the darkness. Dress for the winter weather and be patient: the show will last until dawn.
After the Quadrantids, no more meteor showers will occur for more than three months, when the Lyrids and Eta Aquariids return in late April.