The Quadrantid meteoroid shower will top out this calendar week and it ’s jell to be one of the strong showers of 2024 with up to 120 shot star being visible each hour .
The Quadrantids are due to achieve peak activity on the night of January 3 to 4 , according to theAmerican Meteor Society .
The Quadrantid meteor shower started on December 26 , 2023 , and will continue until January 16 , 2024 . For star - gazers in North America , the exhibitioner will be at its most active in the early hr of January 4 .
The moon will be 51 pct full on this night , which may slimly interfere with the spectacle . Likewise , cloudy January conditions often puts a dampening on this annual meteor exhibitioner .
However , the Quadrantids are wide count to be one of the best annual meteoroid showers . As perNASA , you’re able to wait to see around 120 meteors per minute during periods of peak activity . They ’re also have it off for their bright fireball meteor that can stay longer than an average meteoroid streak .
To get the better view of the meteor shower , head outside in a obscure place that ’s far aside from street lamp and other hokey lighting , including earphone screens . You should be patient and go out of doors ahead of time to permit your eye acclimate to the lower lite condition .
In case you ca n’t catch them in person , there will also be a live stream of the event broadcasted by the Virtual Telescope Project , which you’re able to view inthis tie here .
Meteor showers occur when Earth transcend through the debris left behind by a comet or asteroid . Tiny pieces of debris from these objects enter Earth ’s atmosphere at approximately 41 kilometers ( 25.5 knot ) per second for the Quadrantids . This acute amount of energy causes the dust to bite up when it smacks into Earth ’s atmosphere , impart behind a bright streak of light in the sky .
In the case of theQuadrantids , the parent object is 2003 EH1 , a near - Earth target that ’s either a rocky asteroid or a potential " rock comet ” , aka a " deadened comet ” . This is essentially a once - icy comet that has kick out all of its ice and other volatile . Discovered in 2003 , its diam bill just 3 kilometer ( 2 miles ) or so .
There are deal of other major meteor showers to calculate forward to in 2024 . In mid - April , Earth ’s skies will be deck by the Lyrids , postdate by the Aquariids in other May .
