Bring in the New Year with a bang as stunning meteor shower set to appear

01 January 2024 , 13:23

1195     0

The meteor shower will emanate from the Bootes constellation (Image: Thilina Kaluthotage/NurPhoto/REX/Shutterstock)

For those hoping to start the new year with a bang, a meteor shower is set to illuminate the night sky in a couple of days.

On the night of January 3 and the early hours of January 4, there will be an opportunity to potentially catch a glimpse of the Quadtrantids - a meteor shower that peaks in January.

But there is one factor that could lead you to miss out. The brighter the moon is in the night sky, the more difficult it will be to see the stunning spectacle. Last year, the moon was close to being fulll - meaning disappointment for stargazers. This year, the moon is set to be around half illumination, so it will be slightly better.

The shower arrives like clockwork every January 1 to 5, with meteor activity visible on each night during those four days. But the strongest activity will take place between the evening of January 3 and early morning of January 4.

Astronomers say the best time to look up is shortly after midnight, or at any point the meteor's constellation Bootes is in the sky. According to the American Meteor Society, the peak hours are "between the local hours of 1-5am" for people in North America.

'Weird' comet heading towards the sun could be from another solar system

A meteor goes by another name which may be more familiar. They're most commonly referred to as "shooting stars" though the description is somewhat misleading. Rather than stars careening through space lightyears away, meteors are in fact tiny particles of space dust burning up as they enter the earth's atmoshpere, which takes place just a few dozen miles away rather than at multi-millenia distances.

The particular space dust seen with the Quadrantids most likely broke free from a comet called 2003 EH1, which was discovered in the same year.

It is seen on an annual basis as Earth's orbit repeatedly carries us through the trail of cosmic remnants. As it does, the meteoroids collide with the atmosphere, producing the stunning meteoric display.

With the odds somewhat stacked against us for seeing the shower in all its glory, it would be useful to set up your viewing spot away from the glare of city lights. Stargazing apps can prove handy for helping you find the Bootes constellation, which is where the Quadrantids emanate from.

Though they originate in the constellation (which is named after the Greek word for "herdsman"), don't fixate there when looking into the sky. As you look up, the meteors will look like they're filling the space above you.

Make sure you wrap up, allow your eyes to become used to the darkness of the night sky, lean back, and fix your vision on the incredible sights above you. Give it time and something exciting will show up.

Ryan Fahey