Supermoon and Meteor Shower to Coincide, But Lunar Glow May Dim Celestial Display
A rare celestial pairing – the year’s first supermoon and the peak of the Quadrantid meteor shower – will grace January skies, though the brilliance of the full moon may significantly reduce visibility of the shooting stars.
The Quadrantid meteor shower is expected to peak Friday night into Saturday morning, according to the American Meteor Society. Under ideal, dark sky conditions, observers can typically witness around 25 meteors per hour during the peak. However, this year’s display will likely be muted, with estimates suggesting fewer than 10 meteors visible per hour due to the light pollution from Saturday’s supermoon.
“The biggest enemy of enjoying a meteor shower is the full moon,” explained a planetarium director at the Liberty Science Center in New Jersey. The lunar glare washes out the fainter streaks of light created by the meteors.
What are Meteor Showers and Supermoons?
Meteor showers occur when Earth passes through streams of cosmic debris – remnants from comets or asteroids. As these tiny space rocks collide with Earth’s atmosphere at high speeds, they burn up, creating the brilliant streaks of light commonly known as “shooting stars.” While sporadic meteors can be seen on any given night, predictable showers happen annually when Earth’s orbit intersects with these dense debris fields.
Supermoons, on the other hand, are full moons that appear larger and brighter than usual. This phenomenon occurs when a full moon coincides with the moon’s closest approach to Earth in its elliptical orbit, as detailed by NASA. During a supermoon, the moon can appear up to 14% bigger and 30% brighter than the faintest full moon of the year, though this difference can be subtle to the naked eye.
The last supermoon of 2025 illuminated December night skies.
Both the supermoon and the Quadrantids are visible without the aid of telescopes or binoculars. Supermoons are visible in clear skies across the globe where it is nighttime, while the Quadrantids are best observed from the Northern Hemisphere.
Tips for Viewing the Quadrantids
To maximize your chances of spotting the Quadrantids, experts recommend venturing away from city lights into a dark location in the early evening. A specialist with the Morrison Planetarium at the California Academy of Sciences suggests looking for fireballs – exceptionally bright meteors – before the moon rises fully. Skygazers can also try observing during the early dawn hours on Sunday.
Allowing your eyes to adjust to the darkness is crucial, and avoiding the use of smartphones or other bright lights will help preserve your night vision. The meteors will appear as fast-moving white dots streaking across the entire sky.
The Quadrantids derive their name from a now-defunct constellation. The shower’s debris originates from the asteroid 2003 EH1.
The next major meteor shower, the Lyrids, is anticipated in April. Supermoons occur several times a year, often in clusters, and Saturday night’s event concludes a four-month streak that began in October. The next supermoon isn’t expected until late 2026.
