Par
Martin Leduc
Published on
Jan 1, 2025 at 9:04 a.m.
See my news
Follow News
What comes back every year, at the very beginning of January? Oh no, missed: it’s not New Year’s Eve we’re going to talk about, but the shower of shooting stars in the Quadrantids.
This is a regular astronomical phenomenon, in the same vein as the Perseids in July, or the Lyrids in April. A shower of shooting stars that illuminates the celestial vault, mixing the wishes of some and the wonder of others.
How to properly see the shower of shooting stars in the Quadrantids?
To not miss anything of the spectacle, probably provided by the asteroid 2003 EH1, you will have to look towards the northeast as soon as night falls, and as soon as you read this article. The peak is forecast for later, but it is entirely possible to see bright spots splitting the sky a few days before and after. There will be just (much) less than the 120 per hour anticipated by the International Meteor Organization (IMO) for the peak intensity.
One of the most beautiful showers of shooting stars
NASA itself says it: the Quadrantids are considered one of the best annual meteor showers. That said, the peak intensity is much shorter than for the others and only lasts a few hours. Only on the night of January 2 to 3, around 8 p.m., can we see a maximum of 120 cars per hour. After this meeting, the meteors will be much more scattered.
During the peak of activity, the night of Thursday 2 to Friday 3 January 2025it is from the east that the majority of shooting stars will come. That said, it’s worth keeping an eye on the rest of the darkened sky because these dust grains that burn all colors as they enter the atmosphere at 40 km/s can appear anywhere.
Moreover, if they do not come from the east, that is where they are most spectacular, with longer trails. “A bit like when it rains when you’re in a car: the drops rush down the windshield at full speed, and take longer to fall from the side windows,” explained Nicolas Biver, president of the comet commission at the French Astronomical Society, during the Perseid rain, in July 2023.
The Moon, not annoying for once
Notwithstanding: the Moon, rising, only 11% bright, will set around 8 p.m., right on time for peak time, announced by the very serious site StarWalk.fr.
Unlike the December rain, the Geminids, the Moon should therefore not be a problem for seeing the spectacle of the Quadrantids.
We just have to hope that the sky is also in agreement so that we can have a “starry” night.
Until proven otherwise, the clouds do not seem to spare France for the night from Thursday to Friday. Only the north and part of the east of the country could be lucky, according to this model provided by Weather Sky. (The whiter it is, the more clouds there are).
Some advice before diving in body and soul (that’s the case with this cold), in an observation:
- Be patient
- Give your eyes time to get used to the darkness.
- Obviously, stay away from any light pollution as best you can.
- Cover up, the nights are cool.
From there, all that remains is to wish the brave good night, hoping that it will be bright.
Follow all the news from your favorite cities and media by subscribing to Mon Actu.
