The Quadrantids meteor shower is considered one of the best to watch all year. This stream is active annually between December 26 and January 16. In 2023, its maximum falls on January 2 and 3. According to NASA, at its peak, you can see an average of 80 meteors per hour, hurtling through the Earth’s atmosphere at a speed of about 41 km/s.
The Quadrantids are debris from an asteroid called 2003 EH1 that was discovered during the Lowell Observatory’s Near-Earth Object Search (LONEOS) in 2003. The asteroid has a diameter of about 3.2 km and may be the remains of an extinct comet.
Asteroid 2003 EH1 orbits the Sun every 5.52 years. Earth passes through the debris trail at a perpendicular angle. As a result, the peak period for meteor dust and debris to enter the atmosphere is quite short.
The Quadrantids fly out between the constellations Volopas and Drago, not far from the handle of the Big Dipper. They take their name from the constellation of the Wall Quadrant, which is not used in modern astronomy. The Quadrantids are known for their meteors in the form of fireballs. They are longer and brighter than normal meteors because they come from larger pieces of debris.
Course
CFO
Become an experienced director-level finance specialist!
REGISTER!
For the most comfortable observation of the meteor shower, it is best to leave the territory of a large city in advance to reduce the intensity of light pollution. It is advisable to give the eyes 20-30 minutes to get used to the darkness.
The next big meteor shower after the Quadrantids in 2023 will be the Lyrids. The period of their activity will fall in the period from April 15 to 29, and the maximum is expected on April 22 and 23.
Source: space
