What to know about the Quadrantid meteor shower
We call them shooting stars, but it’s actually meteors that create dazzling streaks of light across our night sky.
With no time to waste in 2025, the first celestial show of the year gets underway this week with the Quadrantid meteor shower peak.
NASA said the Quadrantid meteor shower is unique because of its brief peak and the origin of the shooting stars. Most meteor showers originate from comet debris, but the Quadrantids come from an asteroid.
A view of stargazing as Quadrantids meteor showers peak, at Pigeon Point Light Station in Pescadero, California, United States on January 4, 2024. (Photo by Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images)
(Getty Images)
The Quadrantids peak each year in early January as the Earth passes through the debris trail from asteroid 2003 EH1. Astronomers say this asteroid could be a new object known as a “dead comet” or “rock comet.”
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Although the Quadrantids have been observed in the night sky since the early 1800s, their origin was only discovered in 2003.
Quadrantids meteor shower over Pacific Ocean of Half Moon Bay in California, United States on January 4, 2024. (Photo by Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Also, unlike other annual meteor showers, which peak over several days, the Quadrantids are a quick skygazing show. The peak lasts just six hours. According to NASA, this brief encounter is because the Earth crosses the thin stream of particles at a perpendicular angle.
According to the American Meteor Society (AMS), this year’s peak happens Friday, with the best chance of seeing meteors early Friday morning.
What to expect for 2025’s Quadrantid meteor shower peak
During the peak, as many as 200 meteors can be seen under perfect weather and viewing conditions.
The timing of this year’s Quadrantid meteor shower peaks between 15:00 and 18:00 UTC (10 a.m. and 1 p.m. EST), which favors those in Hawaii and Alaska, according to AMS Editor Robert Lunsford.
The cloud cover forecast for Friday morning.
(FOX Weather)
While early January doesn’t offer the best weather for stargazing, the peak this year happens a few days after a new Moon with only 11% illumination. This means less moonlight to compete with the meteor shower.
Unfortunately, cloud cover will cover many parts of the U.S. with active winter weather happening.
According to the AMS, the Quadrantids continue through mid-January, when an average of 25 meteors per hour are possible under good conditions.
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