Stargazers can spot January's Quadrantid meteor shower

If you’re hoping to start the new year than with a bit of stargazing, and the annual Quadrantid meteor shower could help make the most of it.

The meteor shower runs from roughly 27 December to 10 January but will reach its peak around 3 to 4 January. According to Earthsky.org, unlike many meteor showers, the peak lasts less than a day and is best seen from northern latitudes. Europe is likely the best place to see the shower, according to Space.com, as the short-lived event will occur during at around 2 am GMT in Europe, while North America will only be able to observe in the early evening.

The Quadrantids are not as well-known as other meteor showers, particularly because showers like the Perseids or Geminids have a peak lasting longer than a day. Therefore they can be spotted a night around the world. Catching the Quadrantids requires being in the right place at the right time. However, predicting meteor showers can be difficult, so keeping up to date on forecasts can help. This year’s event will be helped by the fact that there will be little moonlight, giving viewers a much better chance of spotting a meteor.

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