Quadrantids meteor shower: How to see the spectacular meteor shower from the UK TOMORROW

Astronomy enthusiasts are in for a dazzling treat with the peak of the annual Quadrantid shower between Thursday, January 3, and Friday, January 4. The Quadrantids are among the most active meteors of the year, with intense peaks of up to 100 meteors firing off every hour. Tomorrow night, astronomers are expecting up to 60 meteors to zip across the sky nervy hour during the peak. Find out how you can watch the spectacular light show right here in the UK.

How to see the Quadrantid meteor shower in the UK?

Quadrantids are typically active between January 1 and January 6 but the most intense activity always falls on one night and one night only.

Meteor showers are best observed during their peak because the number of meteors streaking across the sky is highest.

Other showers like the Orionids or Perseids usually hang around for a day or two around the peak but the Quadrantids are known for their very short peak.

This year the International Meteor Organization estimates the shower will be most active around 2am UK time on Friday morning.

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Even with this in mind, astronomers at the Royal Observatory Greenwich have warned meteor spotting is an exercise in patience.

The Observatory said: “Hunting for meteors, like the rest of astronomy, is a waiting game, so it’s best to bring a comfy chair to sit on and to wrap up warm as you could be outside for a while.

“They can be seen with the naked eye so there’s no need for binoculars or a telescope, though you will need to allow your eyes to adjust to the dark.”

For the best chance of seeing the Quadrantids, you will need to find a dark, quiet and ideally secluded area far from sources of light.

Lamps, cars and buildings all risk washing out the skies with light on a night when you should be on the lookout for pitch black darkness.

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And once you find the perfect spot to hunt down the Quadrantids, the good news is you can live your telescopes and binoculars at home.

The Royal Observatory said: “The meteors can be seen in all parts of the sky, so it’s good to be in a wide open space where you can scan the night sky with your eyes.”

For the best results, spread a blanket outdoors and lie back so that your eyes can capture the entire sky at once.

The Quadrantids will appear to emerge from a radiant point in the constellation Boötes, near the constellation Big Dipper.

However, once they break out into the atmosphere, the meteors will spread out in all imaginable directions at speeds of up to 156,000mph (70km per second).

Just sit back and enjoy the spectacle of nature.

What is the source of the Quadrantid meteor shower?

All meteor showers throughout the year originate in cosmic debris left behind in the orbital path of a comet or .

The Quadrantids are believed to be the rubble of either Asteroid 2003 EH1 or Comet C/1490 Y1 – two giant space rock barreling around the Sun.

When the Earth enters the orbital path of either of these objects, the bits and pieces of space rock slam into the atmosphere with great force and burn up before they can hit the ground.

The shower is named after the moniker of the former constellation Quadrans Muralis which is now considered part of constellation Boötes.