One of the year’s shortest and most unique meteor showers, the Quadrantids, will peak in the sky early on January 3. While the full moon can make it difficult to see faint meteors, skywatchers who look to the sky at the right time can expect to see bright fireworks.
The Quadrantids have been known since 1825 and are notable for their short peak: unlike the Perseids or Geminids, their active phase lasts only about six hours. This is because Earth is passing through a dense, narrow stream of debris left behind by asteroid 2003 EH1.
Under ideal conditions, the Quadrantids can produce up to 120 meteors per hour, but this year, due to a bright moon, only the brightest meteors, the fireworks, will be visible. According to the International Meteor Organization, this year you can expect up to 10 visible meteors per hour.
The Quadrantid meteor shower is active from December 28 to January 12, with a peak on the night of January 2 and 3.
