Quadrantids Meteor Shower | 3rd-4th January

The Quadrantids Meteor Shower is better seen from northern Western Australia. The radiant point, or the point in the sky where the meteors seem to come from, is below the horizon for southern WA which reduces the number of visible shooting stars. It is a popular meteor shower to observe in the northern hemisphere with an average of about 25 meteors seen per hour. 

The Quadrantids Meteor Shower is generated from an asteroid called 2003 EH1 which orbits the Sun every 5.5 years. The meteor shower is sometimes called Bootids after the modern constellation, Boötes, which is where the radiant point lies.

Is it worth getting out of bed for? 

Unfortunately, not really. To make things more difficult, the peak of this year’s Quadrantids coincides with a full moon which makes viewing even harder. 

When and where to look:

The peak of about 25 meteors/hour is best viewed before dawn on 4th January. Look toward the northern eastern horizon. The Quadrantids Meteor Shower is active from 28th December to 12th January. 

Use the above image as a guide. Astronomical images provided by SkySafari, a Simulation Curriculum Company, All rights reserved www.simulationcurriculum.com.

What is a meteor shower?

A meteor (commonly called a “shooting star”) is an unexpected, brief streak of light seen in our night sky. It’s caused when space debris, travelling up to 75km per second, enters Earth’s atmosphere. The debris can be as small as a grain of sand which burns up in the atmosphere and causes a bright streak of light to appear briefly in our night sky.

A meteor shower is a celestial spectacle where large numbers of meteors, or “shooting stars”, streak across the night sky. These dazzling events occur when Earth passes through the the trail of debris left by a comet or other object that has come into our Solar System and orbited around the Sun. Visible to the naked eye, meteor showers offer a mesmerizing display of bright streaks, adding a touch of cosmic wonder to the night. 

Where’s the best place to see the meteor shower?

The best place to see a meteor shower is away from bright city lights and when the night sky is dark with no moonlight. Bright moonlight and light pollution make it harder to see fainter meteors, however you may still be able to see the brighter ones.

Travel out to a dark sky location at one of WA’s Astrotourism Towns. If you’re an astrophotographer, it is an excellent opportunity to image meteors over some of WA’s iconic landscapes. 

You don’t need a telescope or binoculars to see a meteor shower. It’s a great time to gather with friends, roll out your favourite picnic rug, pack the drinks and snacks, and start counting how many “shooting stars” you all see! The predicted hourly rate of meteors presumes you’re viewing them in a perfectly dark sky and that the shower is directly overhead. Fingers crossed for a spectacular show!

Something interesting

Meteor showers are named after the constellation where the “shooting stars” appear to be coming from. If you have a handy smart phone app that helps you identify objects in the night sky, search for the constellation, and you’ll be looking in the right direction.

You might like to…

Become a citizen scientist and report meteor sightings! If you happen to see a very bright meteor (often referred to as a “fireball”), WA’s fireballs team based at Curtin University would love to know! Report your fireball sighting with the International Meteor Organization.

The International Meteor Organization is a great place to discover more about all things meteors. Check out their Meteor Shower Calendar. You might even like to become a member!