While fireworks are a traditional way to welcome the new year, a natural phenomenon will be lighting up the sky this weekend as the annual Quadrantid meteor shower reaches its peak.
Taking its name from a now obsolete constellation known as Quadrans Muralis, the event is best viewed in the northern hemisphere, with the meteors appearing to radiate from the constellation Boötes, which is found near the collection of stars often dubbed the Plough or the Big Dipper.
Unlike many meteor showers that peak over a number of days, the Quadrantids peak for just a few hours. According to Nasa, 60 to as many as 200 meteors can be seen per hour under perfect conditions.
“The best time to view them is from late night on 3 January to dawn on 4 January ,” said Dr Shyam Balaji, a researcher in astroparticle physics and cosmology at King’s College London.
Meteor showers are known to arise as the Earth passes through dust left by celestial bodies such as comets.
However, it was only in 2003 that the identity of the object behind the Quadrantids was discovered, when Dr Peter Jenniskens, an astronomer and research scientist at the Nasa Ames Research Center and the Seti Institute, revealed the source of the meteor shower to be the near-Earth asteroid 2003 EH1.
Those hoping to catch a glimpse of the show should wrap up warm and head out into a dark area away from streetlights. After adjusting to the low light, settle in and scan the sky with your eyes.
Balaji said the waning crescent moon is expected to provide relatively good viewing conditions, adding that the shower could be colourful.
“The Quadrantids are known for their bright fireball meteors, which can appear blue,” Balaji said. “This blue colour is due to the high velocity of the meteors and the presence of certain elements like magnesium and iron in the meteoroids, which emit blue light when they burn up in the Earth’s atmosphere.”
Article by:Source Nicola Davis Science correspondent
