Quadrantids
A brief, intense January peak — one of the year's strongest, if you catch it.
Peak rate
~110 meteors/hr at peak
Active
28 Dec – 12 Jan
Radiant
Boötes
Speed
41 km/s
Parent body
Asteroid 2003 EH1 (a likely extinct comet)
Moon at peak
Peak-night moon only 16% lit — dark skies favour the shower
About the Quadrantids
The Quadrantids are one of the three strongest showers of the year, rivalling the August Perseids and December Geminids at maximum. The catch is timing: the peak is exceptionally narrow — often only about six hours — so being on the right side of the planet when it arrives makes the difference between a memorable night and a quiet one.
The shower takes its name from Quadrans Muralis, an obsolete constellation now part of Boötes, near the handle of the Big Dipper. Its parent is asteroid 2003 EH1, thought to be the burnt-out core of a comet that broke apart roughly a thousand years ago.
How to watch
- Check the predicted peak hour for your location — the maximum is short and easy to miss.
- The radiant climbs highest in the hours before dawn, so the pre-dawn window is usually best.
- Dress for deep winter and give your eyes 20 minutes to adapt to the dark.