The Quadrantid meteor shower will peak on the weekend of January 3 and 4, but observing this annual display of shooting stars could be challenging for many observers.
Amateur astronomers will experience the best views of the meteor shower just before dawn on January 4, but much of the central United States will be under cloud cover. New England, the Pacific coast, and parts of the desert southwest are predicted to have at least some visibility at the time of the display.
Light from a bright, waxing gibbous moon will also drown out many of the shooting stars, presenting an additional challenge to amateur skygazers.
Meteor showers usually result from the Earth crossing into the debris field left behind by a comet. These tiny particles of matter, usually about the size of an apple seed, burn up brightly as they pass through the atmosphere, producing shooting stars. This, however, is not the case with this annual display.
"Unlike most meteor showers which originate from comets, the Quadrantids originate from an asteroid: asteroid 2003 EH1. Asteroid 2003 EH1 takes 5.52 years to orbit the sun once. It is possible that 2003 EH is a 'dead comet' or a new kind of object being discussed by astronomers called a 'rock comet'," NASA officials wrote on their Web site.
Asteroid 2003 EH1 is a small object - less than two miles in diameter. The body was discovered by astronomers at the Lowell Observatory in March 2003. Peter Jenniskens was the researcher who first realized this rocky body was the source of material in the Quadrantid meteor shower.
Meteor showers are among the easiest displays of all for amateur astronomers to enjoy. No special equipment is needed, and the display can be seen from any location in the northern hemisphere with a good view to the east and south, and clear, dark skies, away from city lights. Observers should bring a comfortable chair, warm clothes, a thermos of their favorite drink, and snacks.
Meteors will be seen at around 11 pm local time, low on the eastern horizon. As the night progresses, shooting stars will be seen more often, and their origin will rise higher in the sky, and head south. The best viewing in a given area will be just an hour or so before dawn, when the display will be centered nearly due south.
The Quadrantid meteor shower has only been described since the 19th Century. It is named after the now-obsolete constellation Quadrans Muralis, a collection of stars that is now officially accepted as part of Bootes.
