Quadrantids Meteor Shower- Bright Fireball Meteors- One of the Best Annual Meteor Showers
The Quadrantids are regarded as one of the best yearly meteor showers, which reach their peak in early January each year. The Quadrantids were first seen in 1825.
Quadrantids Meteor Shower Active -
Dec. 26, 2022, to Jan. 16, 2023
Peak - January 2-3, 2023
Peak Activity Meteor Count -
Approximately 80 meteors per hour
Meteor Velocity -
25.5 miles (41 km) per second
Under perfect situations, 60 to 200 Quadrantid meteors per hour can be seen during its peak.
Quadrantid meteors are also well-known for their bright fireballs.
Fireballs are brighter, larger explosions of light and color. These fireballs can persist longer than an average meteor streak.
This is because fireballs originate from larger particles of material.
Fireballs are also brighter, with magnitudes brighter than -3.
Most meteor showers have a two-day peak so catching sight of these other meteors is significantly more likely.
On the other hand, the Quadrantids' peak is much shorter — only a few hours.
The Quadrantids peak is so short due to the shower's thin particle stream, and the fact that the Earth crosses the stream at a perpendicular angle.
Origin - Asteroid 2003 EH1 (or a possible "rock comet")
The source for the Quadrantid meteors is an asteroid:
"Asteroid 2003 EH1".
Asteroid 2003 EH1 orbits the Sun once every 5.52 years. It is a small asteroid, its diameter is only about 2 miles (3 km) across. It was detected on March 6, 2003, by the LONEOS.
Radiant -
Constellation Bootes; originally Quadrans Muralis (now a defunct constellation)
The Radiant of Quadrantids, or the point in the sky from which the Quadrantids appear to be coming, is the obsolete constellation "Quadrans Muralis."
Quadrans Muralis is located near the end of the handle of the "Big Dipper", between the constellations of Bootes and Draco.
Since the meteors appear to radiate from the modern constellation of Bootes, another name for the Quadrantids is the "Bootids".