If your goal for 2025 was to have more fun and say yes to unique experiences, you’re in luck: The first, and potentially most visible, meteor shower of the year will happen early in the morning on Jan. 3. The Quadrantid meteor shower is an exciting, totally free event that you can access from your own backyard, making it the perfect way to celebrate the new year. But if you’ve never seen a meteor shower before, or just haven’t heard of the Quadrantids, you might be unsure about how (if at all) you’ll be able to watch it.
Quadrantids, which are considered by NASA to be one of the best annual meteor showers, peak each year during early January. This year’s Quadrantids actually began flying through the sky on Dec. 26, 2024, and will continue through Jan. 16, 2025. However, they have a much shorter peak than most meteor showers, many of which peak for around two days, and can be visible for a few weeks. The Quadrantids, on the other hand, only peak for a few hours, making them easy to miss if you aren’t in a prime location. However, if you can manage to catch them during their peak, you can see as many as 200 meteors per hour! Here is what you can do to catch the first meteor shower of 2025.
what are the quadrantids?
Quadrantids are unique meteors, not only because of their short peak, but because of their composition. Most meteors are made up of comet debris, made of dust, rock, and ice, but Quadrantids come from asteroids, which are made of metals and rocky material. According to NASA, Quadrantids are also known for their fireball meteors, which are explosions of light and color that are brighter and last longer than normal meteors. Fireballs are rare, but if you spot one, you should report it to the American Meteor Society (AMS), as fireballs can be significant events that scientists want to keep track of.
when and where can i view the quadrantids?
The Northern hemisphere is the best place to view this year’s Quadrantids. Locations that will have the best views are Alaska, Hawaii, and parts of far-east Asia — specifically, Western Alaska may see over 100 meteors per hour. If you’re in other parts of the U.S., don’t fret: You may still see up to 25 meteors. The waxing crescent moon is expected to provide good visibility for the shower, because it will have no interference with the dark sky.
The Quandrantids’s peak is expected to be between 10 a.m. ET and 1 p.m. ET on Jan. 3, which falls before sunrise in Alaska, Hawaii, and East Asia — hence why these are the prime locations for viewing, since the sky will still be dark. This interactive map allows you to enter your location to find the times when your area’s visibility will be best.
what other meteor showers are expected for 2025?
If you have plans tonight and can’t catch the Quadrantids, or if you’re not in the Northern hemisphere, don’t worry, there are several other meteor showers expected for 2025 that you can find on the AMS website.