One of the richest yet least-known annual displays of “shooting stars” starts off the new year. But this time around, it will be sharing the sky with a brilliant source of natural “light pollution” - the Full Moon! Despite its interference, this display will still be worth watching.
Among the meteor showers to grace our skies each year, that known as the Quadrantids outranks nearly all of them, including the famed Perseids in August. Its peak hourly meteor rate is only matched by that of the Geminids in December. Under clear, dark sky conditions, observers can expect to see 100 or more shooting stars per hour at its peak (compared to about 80 for the Perseids). In 2008, the shower will occur between January 1st and 5th, with maximum activity coming on January 4th. The radiant - that point in the sky from which the meteors appear to stream - lies in the constellation Bootes. And although it doesn’t rise until well after midnight in January, meteors can still be seen shooting from over the northeastern horizon after darkness falls.
Continue reading ‘The Quadrantid Meteor Shower’
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