Stargazers across the UK are in for a treat tonight (January 3) as the Quadrantids meteor shower is set to reach its peak and light up the night sky. This celestial event is anticipated to showcase up to 120 shooting stars per hour, making it "one of the best annual meteor showers" according to enthusiasts.
NASA notes that the Quadrantids have their peak in early January each year. Unlike most meteor showers which have a two-day peak, the Quadrantids offer a much narrower window of opportunity, lasting only a few hours.
During this peak period, observers can witness anywhere from 60 to 200 Quadrantid meteors per hour under optimal conditions.
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The Quadrantids are also famous for their bright fireball meteors, which are larger and more vibrant explosions of light and colour that last longer than the average meteor trail. These fireballs come from bigger particles of comet material and shine brighter, often with magnitudes brighter than -3.
For those keen to catch a glimpse of the spectacle, the Met Office's latest weather forecasts predict clear skies tonight over Northern Ireland, providing excellent viewing conditions,
To get the best experience of the meteor shower, it's recommended to watch from a dark location, far removed from city or street lights, ideally in the Northern Hemisphere during the night and predawn hours, reports the Liverpool Echo.
For those looking to witness the splendour of the meteor shower here in the UK, NASA advises stargazers to let their eyes adjust to the darkness for about 30 minutes beforehand. NASA recommends: "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."
The peak anticipation is building for January 3-4, peaking officially at 3am on January 4. With clear skies, the spectacle will be observable until the early morning.
This meteor shower’s peak is remarkably brief, only lasting a few hours, due to its narrow stream of debris and the Earth's perpendicular trajectory through it. NASA revealed: "The reason the peak is so short is due to the shower's thin stream of particles and the fact that the Earth crosses the stream at a perpendicular angle."
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