The Quadrantids, one of the brightest meteor showers, are active every year from December 28 through January 12.
What makes the Quadrantid meteor shower unique?
Most meteor showers originate from comets, but the Quadrantids originate from an asteroid named 2003 EH1. The asteroid takes 5.52 years to orbit our sun and when Earth passes through the particles left by this asteroid, we see the shower. These debris trails disintegrate when they collide with our atmosphere and create the fiery streaks we see in the sky.
https://images.indianexpress.com/2020/08/1x1.pngThe meteor shower gets its name from the constellation of Quadrans Muralis (Mural Quadrant). When the shower was first noted, it appeared to be radiating from this constellation. It is now a defunct constellation that lies near the constellation of Bootes.
How to watch the shower?
Drive away from the light pollution of your cities and find a safe empty field or terrace of a house. Your eyes need about 20 to 30 minutes to adjust to the dark, so arrive early. Make sure you bring a blanket to keep yourself cozy on this winter night. You do not need any special instruments. The best strategy is to face the northeast side of the sky and look out for the fireballs.
The Virtual Telescope Project 2.0 will run a live stream starting tomorrow at 5:15 am IST. They will be capturing the shower from Rome.
