The Quadrantid rain it is the first Meteor shower of the year in the northern hemisphere. It is observed by December 28th to January 12th and the moment of maximum activity is just around the corner.
This year will see the peak of this meteor shower Night of January 3rdbut will be It is difficult to see any of the meteors due to several factors.
On the one hand, the maximum will occur over a period of a few hours centered on January 4th at 10:00 a.m. (Madrid time), so dawn will cover much of the maximum. Furthermore, the moon is in its phase last quarter exactly on the 4th, As a result, it is high in the sky in the hours just before sunrise, so its light can make it difficult to observe the faintest meteors.
The Quadrantids may have an activity rate above that 120 meteors per hour and a Speed ​​of 41 kilometers per secondwhich makes her one of the together with the Perseids, the most active rainfall of the year in August and the Geminids in December. However, Quadrantid meteors are not seen as often as meteors from the other two showers because their period of maximum activity usually lasts only a few hours and the poor weather conditions common in northern winters.
For observers at latitudes such as Spain, 40° north, the radiant of the Quadrantids is located above the horizon from dusk to dawnreports the National Astronomical Observatory (OAN).
This is how you see the Quadrantids
This astronomical phenomenon can be observed from anywhere as long as you are in a dark area and away from light pollution. In addition, it is better to observe from a place where there are few obstacles to the view (e.g. buildings, trees or mountains) and not to use optical instruments that limit our field of vision. Although the Quadrantids appear to originate from the constellation Bootes, They can be seen everywhere in the sky. It is advisable to look at the darkest areas, in the opposite direction to the position of the moon, if the observation is carried out when the moon is present.
Why is this meteor shower happening?
The origin of the Quadrantids remains uncertain. Some astronomers speculate that the Asteroid 2003 EH1 It may be the cause of the meteor shower. This asteroid was discovered in 2003 and is believed to be related to the extinct comet C\1490 Y1, which was observed by Chinese, Japanese and Korean astronomers about 500 years ago.
Like every year around this time, Earth passes through a ring populated by fragments said to have been separated from asteroid 2003 EH1. If one of these fragments (or meteoroids) comes into contact with the atmosphere Country, Burns caused by friction with air This creates the brilliant glow we know as a meteor or shooting star. Typically, the most common meteors we observe with the naked eye are produced by particles ranging in size from a few millimeters to a few centimeters that burn up about 100 kilometers high.
The corresponding meteor shower appears to have one only center of origin, a point from which all shooting stars seem to appear. This point is called “radiant” and its location is usually used to name the meteor shower. The place where the Quadrantids appear to originate is north of the constellation Boyero, near the tail of the Big Dipper. The name of the Quadrantids comes from Constellation Quadrans MuralisNamed in 1795 by French astronomer Jerome Lalande, but currently not recognized by the International Astronomical Union (IAU).