Quadrantids meteor shower UK: What time does it peak?

The Quadrantids meteor shower is the first of its kind in 2020, with the shower taking place every January and in previous years it has produced as many as 100 meteors per hour. NASA has called it “one of the best annual meteor showers”, however the meteors are faint so are easy to miss in the night sky. The meteor shower is set to peak tonight, going into the early hours of January 4.

According to the International Meteor Organisation, the best viewing will occur shortly before 8am GMT, with those in the Northern Hemisphere likely to get front row seats.

The Royal Observatory, Greenwich said in a statement: “For the best conditions, you want to find a safe location away from street lights and other sources of light pollution.”

The world-famous London-based observatory added no special equipment is needed to view this meteor shower.

It 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.”

NASA advised: “Come prepared for winter weather with a sleeping bag, blanket or lawn chair.

“Lie flat on your back with your feet facing northeast and look up, taking in as much of the sky as possible.

“In less than 30 minutes in the dark, your eyes will adapt and you will begin to see meteors.

“Be patient—the show will last until dawn, so you have plenty of time to catch a glimpse.”

READ MORE: Quadrantids Meteor Shower: How to see decade’s first shooting stars

To find the radiant point where the meteors appear to originate from, look for the constellation Bootes.

The easiest way to find it is look north for the Big Dipper, then follow the “arc” of the Big Dipper’s handle across the sky to the red giant star Arcturus, which anchors the bottom of Bootes.

According to NASA, the reason the peak is so short is because of the “shower’s thin stream of particles and the fact that the Earth crosses the stream at a perpendicular angle.”

The shooting star will be visible to the naked eye, so you will not need any special equipment. However you will need to spend some time outside to allow your eyes to adjust to the darkness.

source: express.co.uk