Quadrantids meteor shower, the best of the year, to peak on January 3 & 4 this year

year 2023 will begin with a meteor shower that is expected to peak on January 3 and 4. This meteor shower named Qurantids is considered to be one of best annual meteor showers. According to NASA, one can see 60 to as many as 200 meteors per hour under perfect night conditions, without any light pollution. Although it is peaking on January 3-4, Qurantids, which are popular for ir bright fireballs, are active from December 26 to January 16.  

Origin of Qurantids

Qurantids have a pretty interesting origin as unlike or meteor showers which result from comets, this originates from asteroid 2003 EH1. Astronomer and research scientist Peter Jenniskens is credited for realising that 2003 EH1 is source for Qurantid meteors.

This asteroid takes about 5.5 years to orbit Sun once and it is possible that 2003 EH is a "de comet" or a "rock comet", says NASA. Measuring about three kilometres across, asteroid 2003 EH1 was discovered on March 6, 2003, by Lowell Observatory Near-Earth Object Search (LONEOS). Meteors, as we know, are basically leftover comet particles and bits from broken asteroids. When se objects come around sun, dust y emit grually spres into a dusty trail around ir orbits and appears as streaks of light in sky when Earth passes through this debris. 

Where will meteor shower be visible?

According to NASA, Qurantids are best viewed in Norrn Hemisphere during night and predawn hours and ir point of origin is an obsolete constellation called 'Qurans Muralis'. This constellation is called obsolete because when International Astronomical Union (IAU) created a list of recognised modern constellations in 1922, 'Qurans Muralis' was left off list. In order to spot Qurantids, make sure to find a dark spot free from light pollution.

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