The new year is finally here and 2021 starts with a beautiful light show for those ready to go outside early in the morning on Sunday to watch the Quadrantids meteor shower.
The Quadrantids are nowhere near as well known as them Perseids or Leonids, but they have the potential to be one of the heaviest showers of the year.
The challenge is that these falling stars and bright fireballs are at risk of being washed out by the bright moon, which is not far from its full phase on Saturday evening and Sunday morning. Also, the summit of the Quadrantids is quite narrow, with a window of just a few hours instead of a few days like other showers.
However, with a little planning, you may be able to capture the display, which is known to produce over 100 meteors per hour, including a reasonable number of bright fireballs.
The International Meteor Organization predicts that the Quadrantids will officially peak in the hour before sunrise on the Pacific coast of much of North America or a few hours after sunrise on the east coast. However, such predictions are not always correct. So it's best if you set off somewhere between 2 a.m. and sunrise on Sunday.
2020 Perseid meteor shower photos shine brightly in a dark year
You should avoid light pollution as much as possible and find a place to watch in good weather, a wide view of the sky, and the ability to look as far away from the bright moon as possible. Keep in mind that the show is generally better in the northern hemisphere, where you'll likely want to prepare for bold winter temperatures in most locations.
The Quadrantids appear to come from the region of the sky near Polaris, the north star, but they stretch across all parts of the sky.
This is because the Earth is actually drifting through a cloud of debris tied to asteroid 2003EH1, which may once have been a comet. While the origins of these meteors may be somewhat mysterious, they will nonetheless collide with our atmosphere and burn up in spectacular ways.
Enjoy the first big night sky show of 2021!
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