Quadrantids 2017: Know All About The First Meteor Shower Of The Year

If one is an astronomy lover, then there is a bit of good news here. One does not have to wait long to observe the first meteor shower of 2017 as it is going to take place tomorrow, on Jan. 3. The Quadrantid meteor shower will peak just before the peak of dawn between 4 a.m. to about 6 a.m. local time.

"Meteor showers are usually the residue that collects in the orbits of comets. The Quadrantids are associated with an asteroid - 2003 EH1," said Jane Houston Jones from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California. "The Quadrantids are meteors that appear to radiate from the location of the former Quadrans Muralis constellation. The Quadrantids peak lasts for just a few hours."

The Quadrantids are an annual occurrence, and observers can see up to 120 meteors flying by in an hour under the perfect conditions, which include a light-pollution free sky, no Moon and if the time of the maximum meteor activity coincides "with the time the radiant is highest in the pre-dawn sky," according to Universe Today. Therefore, timing plays a very important role if one wants to view the perfect Quadrantid meteor shower.

This year's peak will happen around 14 hours UT or 8 a.m. Central time (9 a.m. Eastern, 7 a.m. Mountain and 6 a.m. Pacific), which makes it a rather good timing for those in Canada and the U.S., especially if they are in Alaska. Off-peak observers will also be able to manage viewing at least a decent shower with up to 25 meteors an hour visible from a reasonably dark sky, while those watching the sky during peak hours can expect to see at least 60 per hour. Those who do not have the means to get the best view of the Quadrantids due to location, timing or other problems can watch the Quadrantid meteor shower live online here.