During the night of Thursday January 2 to Friday January 3, many shooting stars will parade across the sky. This is expected to be one of the largest meteor showers of the year.
The year 2025 opens with a majestic spectacle. On the night of Thursday January 2 to Friday January 3, a shower of shooting stars will dance in the night sky. It could even be “the strongest shower of the year” according to the International Meteor Organization.
This Quadrantid phenomenon is generally more visible from the Pacific or in the United States, but, as the New York Times notes, its visibility could be reduced by weather conditions there, particularly cloud cover.
In France, Météo-France anticipates a mostly overcast sky during the night, except in Hauts-de-France:
The French in the north of the country will however be able to hope to observe the phenomenon, with the best possible conditions around 6 or 7 a.m.
-Up to 200 meteors per hour
“These meteors generally lack persistent trails but often produce bright fireballs,” the Organization predicts. The number of passages per hour promises to be “fairly high”.
NASA, for its part, mentions the passage of 60 to 200 meteors per hour “in perfect conditions”.
Where does this phenomenon come from? Observed since 1825, these shooting stars are fractions of the asteroid “2003 EH1”, unlike other similar phenomena which are caused by comets. According to NASA, this asteroid, barely 3 kilometers in diameter, takes 5.5 years to complete an entire orbit around the sun.
To properly watch the shooting stars pass by during this winter period, it is recommended to move away from light pollution, lie down on the ground “with your feet facing the northeast” and look upwards, according to the space agency. With these cool winter temperatures, it is also advisable to equip yourself accordingly.
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