Between once in a lifetime Comet And epic Jupiter and Saturn meeting For a great connection, 2020 was a big year for celestial phenomena. But 2021, a quarter is getting off to a strong start from the top of the meteor shower, which NASA calls the “best annual meteor shower” from January 2 to January 3.
What is a quarter?
According to NASA, this Quarter Returning between December 28 and January each year. First seen in 1825, they originated from the small asteroid 1003 EH1, which was discovered in March 2003 by the Lowell Observatory near-Earth ject object search.
Meteors appear to have progressed from a constellation that no longer exists, called the “Quadrans Muralis”, but that constellation is not the actual source of the meteor.
NASA says, “The alternative name for the quadrant is Butids because meteors emanate from Buties’ modern constellation.” “Although the constellation is no longer recognized, the meteor shower was long considered a constellation to its name.”
The quarter marks the final meteor shower of the season, a few months ago with little celestial activity. According to the American Meteor Society, it is likely to have the strongest fountain of the year, along with Perseids and Geminids.
During a short window from Saturday night to Sunday morning, between 60 and 200 meteors per hour traveling 25.5 miles per hour are expected to be present. A quarter are known for bright fireball meteors, which are large bursts of light and color that last longer than typical meteor lines.
Despite the possibility of a shower, it will be short: the maximum activity window is only six hours.
NASA says, “The reason the peak is so short is because of the thin stream of fountain particles and the fact that the earth crosses the flow at right angles.”
Daniel Lopez / NASA APD
How to see a quarter meteor shower
The quarter is best seen from the Northern Hemisphere, but poor weather conditions in early January also make it difficult to see. Even if the sky is clear from the clouds, the almost completely invisible gibbous moon will continue to shine brightly over the weekend, making meteor-spotting difficult.
Unlike many other popular meteor showers, which top many nights, finding a meteor requires you to take a look at the quadrangle. According to the International Meteorological Organization, the peak is expected to arrive around 14:30 UTC on Sunday – meaning the best chance to see a fountain in North America will be in the early hours of Sunday morning.
Like all meteor showers, you want to get away from all the bright city lights, for the best view, lying on your back and giving your eyes about 30 minutes to adjust to the darkness. Dress and be patient for the winter weather – watch the show. Will last until.
After the quarter, the second meteor shower will not occur for more than three months, while Lirids and Eta Aquarius will return in late April.
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