Folks who brave the cold late Friday night and early Saturday will have the chance to see the first meteor shower of the year, the Quadrantids.
“All signs are pointing toward a dazzling display in the sky as long as Mother Nature cooperates,” AccuWeather meteorologist Brian Lada said.
During its peak, 60 to as many as 200 Quadrantid meteors an hour can be seen under perfect conditions, according to NASA.
The shower probably will be at its best from 2 a.m. to dawn on Saturday, EarthSky said. Fortunately, in 2020, the absence of moonlight in the predawn sky means dark skies during the peak hours.
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The meteors will appear to originate from near the constellation Ursa Major, more commonly known as the Big Dipper, AccuWeather said. The shooting stars will be visible in all areas of the sky, however.
The Quadrantids are also known for their bright fireball meteors. Fireballs are larger explosions of light and color that can persist longer than an average meteor streak, NASA said. That’s because fireballs originate from larger particles of material.
Although the Quadrantids have the potential to be the strongest shower of the year, they often fall short because of the length of maximum activity (only six hours) and the poor weather during early January, the International Meteor Organization said.
Indeed, the weather may not cooperate across the eastern or far western U.S., where plentiful clouds could obscure views of the shower, AccuWeather said. The best views should be in the central U.S. from the Dakotas down to Texas.
Skywatchers should pack their patience when heading out.
“You will want to dedicate at least 45 minutes to an hour to get the most out of your meteor shower experience,” AccuWeather astronomy blogger Dave Samuhel said. “Your eyes need a solid half-hour to adjust. Then give yourself another half-hour to take in the meteors.”
The Quads, as they are known, were first observed in Italy in 1825. They are named after an obsolete constellation, Quadrans Muralis, as seen by a French astronomer in 1795.
The Quadrantids are unusual because they come from an asteroid, not a comet, as do most meteor showers, NASA said.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Quadrantid meteor shower peaks early Saturday with ‘dazzling display’