Here is how you can view the Quadrantid meteor shower set to peak this week.
The Quadrantid meteor shower has been active since December 12 and will continue to be active until January 12. It will produce its peak rate of meteors on January 4, when there is a high chance of viewing meteors when the shower’s radiant point, in the constellation Bootes, is above the horizon.
When seen from New Delhithe shower will not be visible until 12.07 AM each night, when the radiant point rises above the eastern horizon, according to In the Sky. It will remain active till dawn breaks around 6.46 AM. The peak is expected to happen around 4 PM IST on January 4, 2024. This means that the best displays can be seen around dawn on January 4 and after the radiant rises on January 5.
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The Quadrantids meteor shower is associated with the asteroid EH1, which takes about 5.5 years to orbit around the Sun, according to EarthSky. The meteor shower happens when the Earth passes through the trail of debris left behind by the asteroid, which will burn up in our planet’s atmosphere. There is also an interesting story behind its name.
Its name comes from the constellation Quadrans Muralis. It was left off a list of constellations drawn out by the International Astronomical Union in 1922. But since the shower was already named after Quadrans Muralis, its name was not changed. It is also sometimes called Bootids after the modern constellation in which its radiant point is now situated.
To get the best view of the meteor shower, find a secluded viewing spot away from the city lights. Once you are at the location where you are going to observe the meteors, take a little bit of time for your eyes to adjust to the darkness. Once you find a comfortable viewing spot, lay down on the ground and look up at the sky. Use a digital sky map to find out where the radiant of the meteor shower is. The higher it is in the sky, the more meteors you are likely to see.
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First uploaded on: 02-01-2024 at 13:47 IST
