One of the best meteor showers of the year peaks at the worst possible time this week

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In early January, the Quadrantid meteor shower provides one of the most intense meteor events of the year, with a brief and sharp peak that lasts only a few hours.

Meteors from this first shower of the year are coming from the northeast corner of the constellation Bootes, Shepherd, so we might expect them to be called “Botids”. But back at the end of the 18th century there was a constellation here called Fresco quadrant“Fresco or wall quadrant” (astronomical instrument). This is one of many constellation names that have fallen into disuse. Thus the meteors were christened”Quadrantids“And although the constellation from which these meteors apparently originated no longer exists, the original name of the shower remains to this day.

Crumbs from a dead comet?

At peak activity, 60 to 120 Quadrantid meteors can be seen per hour under ideal conditions. However, the influx reaches a sharp maximum: just six hours before and after the maximum, these blue meteors appear at only half their maximum speed. This suggests that the stream of particles is relatively narrow and may have originated more recently from a small comet.

In fact, in 2003, astronomer Peter Jenniskens NASA, found a near-Earth asteroid (2003 EH1)whose orbit closely matches that of the Quadrantid stream. Some astronomers suspect that this asteroid is actually a fragment of an old, “extinct” comet; possibly the same comet recorded by Chinese, Korean and Japanese observers in 1490-91. If so, the comet may have broken up and some of its debris became meteoroids that now produce the Quadrantids.

2026: Bad year

Unfortunately, 2026 will not be the best year to find Quads. Chalk it up to bad timing.

First, the rainfall peaked this year, according to Margaret Campbell-Brown and Peter Brown in the magazine Observer's Handbook 2026 Royal Astronomical Society of Canada is forecast for 5:00 pm EST on January 3rd. This matches the daytime maximum for most of North America. But even if the peak occurred at night, there would be an even bigger problem.

For on that same day the moon will become full.

As a result, during the night hours from Saturday, January 3 to Sunday, January 4, the sky will be filled with bright moonlight. The moon will remain above the horizon all night, in the constellation Gemini the Twins and close to the planet Jupiter. This moonlight will suppress all but the brightest meteors.

Typically, the Quadrantids are best viewed just before dawn—around 6 a.m. local time—when the radiant, the point in the sky from which meteors appear to emanate, rises higher in the northeastern sky.

If you do decide to go meteor hunting, don't forget to bundle up! After all, it's winter now. And if you can't find someone to share the viewing duties with you, a thermos filled with your favorite hot drink—coffee, tea, or cocoa—makes the perfect companion on a cold night.

In two years we may have a winner!

But as bad as things have been for the Quadrantids this year, 2028 will be a different story.

This year, the rainfall peaks at 5 a.m. EST on January 4, which is particularly favorable for eastern North America. And the moon will be in a much more favorable phase: a thick waxing crescent that will not be in the predawn sky at all and therefore there will be absolutely no interference with meteor viewing compared to this year. With clear skies, the Quads could be one of the best meteor displays of 2028.

Mark your calendars!

Joe Rao is a faculty member and visiting lecturer at New York University. Hayden Planetarium. He writes about astronomy for Journal of Natural History, Sky and telescope and other publications.