Witness the spectacular Quadrantid meteor shower, known for its intense peak and frequent fireballs, gracing the UK skies tonight.
The most spectacular meteor shower of the year, the Quadrantid, will light up the UK skies tonight. Recognized by NASA as one of the most impressive annual meteor showers , the Quadrantid is known for its short but intense peak and frequent fireballs. Unlike most meteor showers that originate from comets, the Quadrantids come from an asteroid named 2003 EH1 and are set to peak today and tomorrow.
Some stargazers may have already caught a glimpse of the shower, which has been visible since Boxing Day and will continue until Sunday, January 12. However, the best views are expected this evening, weather permitting. Experts advise that no special equipment is needed to view the spectacle, but recommend finding a dark area with minimal light pollution and allowing at least 15 minutes for your eyes to adjust to the darkness. The meteors can be seen almost anywhere in the sky, but the best views are around two-thirds of the way above the horizon where the atmosphere is thinner. The radiant point for the Quadrantids is in the former constellation of Quadrans Muralis, which gives the shower its name and is located near the Plough or Big Dipper. Clearer skies over the next few days, despite lower temperatures, should provide excellent viewing conditions for the shower. Most parts of the UK are expected to enjoy some clear periods tonight, reports the Mirror. The Royal Museum of Greenwich has stated: 'The Quadrantid meteor shower is among the strongest and most consistent meteor showers of the year, with a maximum rate of 120 meteors per hour on a clear night. Meteors are pieces of debris which enter our planet's atmosphere at speeds of up to 70 kilometres per second, vaporising and causing the streaks of light we call meteors.' They further explained: 'The Quadrantids are known for their sharp peak which lasts a few hours. The meteors appear to radiate from the constellation Boötes, near the Big Dipper
METEOR SHOWERS QUADRANTIDS ASTEROID 2003 EH1 UK SPACE EVENTS
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