The new year 2025 will begin with a stunning astronomical event that will welcome new beginnings with the Quadrantids meteor shower. This cosmic wonder first appeared on December 27 and continues, but will peak on January 3 and 4.
The Quadrantids, famous for their brief duration but intense peak, are one of the best meteor showers held annually. This particular meteor shower is unique because it comes from the 2003 EH1 asteroid, which may be a “dead comet” or a “rock comet.” Meanwhile, according to NASA, other meteor showers originate from comets.
“The reason the peak is so small is due to the thin stream of particles in the shower and the fact that Earth crosses the stream at a perpendicular angle,” NASA said.
We will see a total of three meteor showers in the coming year. As mentioned above, this astronomical event will begin in the Quadrantids where 80-120 meteors per hour will light up the night sky. The best time to view is from 5:30 pm on January 3 to 5:24 pm on January 4.
- The seventh meteor shower of the year will be the Leonid Meteors, which will peak between 5:30 and 6:30 a.m. on November 18. “The shower is called the Leonids because it originates from the brightest, or the point in the sky where meteors appear, located in the constellation Leo,” Time & Date said.
- The eight meteor showers of the year will be the Geminids, considered one of the most spectacular meteor showers of the year. Sky watchers may see about 120 meteors per hour at its peak, which will occur between 2:30 a.m. and 7:30 a.m. on December 14.
This astronomical phenomenon occurs when a planet passes through debris left behind by a comet or asteroid.
