Quadrantids meteor shower starts tomorrow: When and how to watch
What's the story
The Quadrantids, one of the best annual meteor showers, starts December 26. They are best viewed from the Northern Hemisphere and will be visible in India.
The shower will reach its peak, showcasing its highest number of meteors, on January 4, per NASA. It will be active till January 16, 2024.
The Quadrantids are known for their bright fireball meteors. Fireballs are larger explosions of light and color that last longer than an average meteor streak.
Insights
Origin of the Quadrantids
Meteor showers happen when Earth passes through streams of debris left behind by comets and asteroids. The parent body responsible for the Quadrantids is asteroid 2003 EH1.
While most meteor showers have a two-day peak, the Quadrantids are famous for their sharp peak, which only lasts a few hours. The reason for their short peak time is because of the thin stream of particles responsible for the shower and because Earth crosses this stream at a perpendicular angle.
Radiant
Unique characteristics of the Quadrantids
The radiant, or the point from where the Quadrantids seem to originate, is the constellation Bootes.
The Quadrantids meteors enter Earth's atmosphere with an average velocity of 40km/s, vaporizing and creating streaks of light or shooting stars.
Under optimal viewing conditions, up to 120 shooting stars can be seen per hour.
The fireballs associated with the Quadrantids are known for their brightness. These are caused due to larger debris particles.
Viewing tips
Viewing tips
To get the best views of the Quadrantid meteors, locate a region away from dark lights. Do not focus only on the radiant point as the meteors will be visible all across the sky.
According to IntheSky, the most stunning meteor displays are likely visible before dawn. You can use timeanddate's tracker to track the meteor visibility from your location.
The Quadrantids peak close to the new moon, hence minimal moonlight interference is expected.