Astronomy fans are gearing up for the first meteor shower of 2024, and it’s going to be a brief but spectacular show. The Quadrantids meteor shower is set to peak after midnight on Thursday, with the potential to see 60 to 200 meteors an hour under perfect conditions.
The Quadrantids are best viewed in the Northern Hemisphere during the night and pre-dawn hours, according to NASA. To catch a glimpse of this cosmic show, viewers are advised to find an area away from city and street lights, lie flat on their backs with their feet facing south, and be patient as it takes about 30 minutes for their eyes to adjust to the dark.
What makes the Quadrantids special are the bright fireball meteors that streak through the sky at a speed of about 25 miles per second. Most meteor showers originate from comets, but the Quadrantids come from asteroid 2003 EH1. The meteors radiate from Quadrans Muralis, even though it is no longer a recognized constellation.
While meteors streak through the sky every night, meteor showers offer a concentrated period where many meteors hit Earth’s atmosphere. The streaks of light are caused by the glowing, hot air as meteors speed through Earth’s atmosphere, and most meteors burn up as they fall.
The Quadrantids are active until Jan. 16, 2024, so stargazers have a limited time to catch a glimpse of this cosmic spectacle. The next meteor shower, the Lyrids, won’t happen until April. So, make sure to bundle up and find a good viewing spot for the Quadrantids meteor shower, as it’s definitely a show you won’t want to miss.