The Siberid meteor shower will peak this week with up to 120 shooting stars per hour, making it one of the most powerful meteor showers of 2024.
According to , the Quadriids meteor shower is expected to reach its peak activity on the night of January 3rd to 4th. American Meteor Society.
The Quadriids meteor shower will begin on December 26, 2023 and last until January 16, 2024. For North American stargazers, this meteor shower will be most active in the early morning hours of January 4th.
The moon will be 51% full on this night, which may slightly impede the view. Similarly, cloudy weather in January often puts a damper on the annual meteor shower.
However, the Quadriids meteor shower is widely considered to be one of the best meteor showers each year.Street NASA, during peak activity, you can expect to see around 120 meteors per hour. It is also known for its bright fireball meteors, which can last longer than the average meteor shower.
To best see the meteor shower, go outdoors in a dark location, far away from artificial lights like street lights and cell phone screens. You need to be patient and get out early to let your eyes get used to the dark environment.
If you are unable to watch in person, there will also be a live stream of the event broadcast by the Virtual Telescope Project. This link is here.
Meteor showers occur when Earth passes through debris left behind by comets and asteroids. Small pieces of debris from these objects enter Earth’s atmosphere at a speed of about 41 kilometers (25.5 miles) per second during the Quadriids meteor shower. This intense energy causes the debris to burn up as it hits Earth’s atmosphere, leaving a bright streak of light in the sky.
In the case of the Quadriids meteor shower, the parent object is 2003 EH1, a near-Earth object that may be a rocky asteroid or a “rocky comet,” also known as a “dead comet.” This is essentially a comet that was once covered in ice and has shed all its ice and other volatile materials. Discovered in 2003, it is only about 3 kilometers (2 miles) in diameter.
There are many other big meteor showers in 2024. The Lyraids meteor shower lights up Earth’s skies in mid-April, followed by the Aquarius meteor shower in early May.