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2021 is shaping up to be an exciting year for astronomers, with the first major celestial event this weekend, as the Quadrantid meteor shower peaks from January 2-3.
First spotted in 1825, Quadrantids – also known as Bootids – occur each year between December 28 and January 12.
Now known to have originated from an asteroid called 1003 EH1, “meteors seem to radiate from the modern constellation Bootes,” says NASA. “Although the constellation may no longer be recognized, it was considered a constellation long enough to give the meteor shower its name.
The American Meteor Society reports that – along with the Perseids and Geminids we talked about in 2020 – the Quadrantids could be the heaviest rain of the season.
How to see the quadrantids
Watch late on Saturday night, or before dawn on Sunday, and you can see between 60 and 200 meteors per hour as they travel at 25.5 miles per second. You can also see the fireballs that quarantines are known for. Spectacularly bright, they appear to be visible longer than other meteors.
However, you will need to choose the timing wisely: the peak of this meteor shower will only last about six hours.
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According to the International Meteor Organization, the peak activity period is expected to be around 2:30 p.m. UTC on January 3. This means that for much of the state, it will be in the hours leading up to dawn Sunday that the Quadrantids are best seen.
With an almost full, albeit waning, moon lighting up the sky this weekend, it’s true that catching flaming meteors over our cities, mountains and fields won’t be as easy as the other years.
Still, on this first weekend of the New Year, it will certainly be worth it to step out and look up.
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