The Quadrantid Meteor Shower

The Quadrantid Meteor Shower occurs during the coldest time in the northern hemisphere.  A few days into the new year we are treated to 'falling stars' from a possible parent asteroid known as 2003 EH1. 

The weather usually an issue for the Quadrantids.  It is usually quite cold during a typical peak and not a lot of people are interested in spending a few minutes outside in the late evening and early morning. 

The radiant is a point between Boötes and Draco sitting in the northeastern sky.  If you have trouble locating Boötes or Draco, use the more familiar Big Dipper.  The handle of the large spoon will essentially point you to the radiant.  The best time to catch the meteors will be between midnight and morning twilight, but you may be able to see a bunch before the day turns.  The map below highlights this region.

Quadrantid Radiant

According to the American Meteor Society the following table indicates, on average, how many meteors we should be able to see per hour. 

City	Suburbs	Rural	Optimal
5	10	25	120

If you would like to record your observations a printable sky map is provided at the link below.  It represents the sky at 1:00am.

Quadrantid Meteor Shower

Instructions for filling out the sheet can be found at the meteor shower blog post below.

Explore the Universe - Meteor Showers

Hopefully the weather is mild and the sky is clear to try to catch a meteor!