Quadrantids Meteor Shower 2017: How, When And Where To Watch Peak Activity

Of the handful of annual meteor showers visible from Earth, the Quadrantids are among the more intense, with over 100 meteors expected every hour during peak activity. But they are also one of the least seen, given the time of the year they occur during.

This year, the Quadrantids meteor shower is expected to hit its peak on Tuesday, Jan. 3, at about 9 a.m. EST, making it impossible to see them from most of the country, except the western states, Alaska and Hawaii. The peak, which doesn’t always follow the forecast, typically lasts only about an hour. Unlike other meteor showers that last for days, Quadrantids last only a few hours.

The Quadrantids have their source in 2003 EH1, the name given to a body in space that probably broke apart from a comet about 500 years ago. The orbits of 2003 EH1 and Earth intersect every year, perpendicular to each other, and the resultant quick movement of Earth through the debris field of 2003 EH1 leads to a brief meteor shower.

So if you are in a place where it is possible to watch the peak activity of the Quadrantids, and you don’t mind the early morning cold, go on out in the early hours of Tuesday, remember to carry something you can spread and lie down on (standing and looking up at the sky for long durations can cause a serious pain in the neck) and find a comfortable place that has little or no artificial light.

When you are ready, look in the north-northeast direction in the sky, between the North Star and the Big Dipper. And if you are in luck, you will have a truly spectacular start to 2017.

If you see some meteors Tuesday, you can also contribute to science. “Fireballs in the Sky” is an app, made available by Curtin University in partnership with NASA, which allows people to report their observations. It is available for both Android and iOS.