Topline
The first meteor shower of 2025—considered by NASA to be one of the best annual showers—is projected to reach a peak in activity Thursday night, with hundreds of meteors expected to brighten the night sky if weather conditions are optimal.
The Quadrantids are considered by NASA as one of the best annual meteor showers, though activity is … [+]
NurPhoto via Getty ImagesKey Facts
The Quadrantids have been active since Dec. 26, 2024, and will persist through Jan. 16, though the meteor shower will peak Thursday night and into Friday morning, with up to 25 meteors seen per hour, according to the American Meteor Society.
Activity for the Quadrantids can peak at up to 200 meteors per hour, but the average weather conditions for January tend to make the meteors difficult to view, according to NASA.
First seen in 1825, the Quadrantids are the result of debris from the asteroid 2003 EH1—a comet about 2 miles wide—passing into Earth’s atmosphere and causing large explosions of light and color.
The meteor shower is named after the Quadrans Muralis, a now-defunct constellation used by astronomers in the 18th century, though the Quadrantids appear to originate near the Big Dipper.
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What’s The Best Way To See The Meteor Shower?
The Quadrantids are best seen in the Northern Hemisphere, and NASA recommends traveling to an area away from light pollution and lying flat on your back with your feet facing northeast, allowing your eyes to adjust for about 30 minutes before they can see meteors. Some states will have dense cloud coverage Thursday night and will likely be unable to see the shower, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, including Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming, Ohio, Michigan, Maine, Tennessee and parts of Pennsylvania and New York.
When Can I See The Meteor Shower?
Meteors will likely begin appearing in the sky as the sun starts to set around 5 p.m. EST, though a peak will persist through the night and into early Friday morning, according to the American Meteor Society.
Key Background
The Quadrantids are the first of nine annual meter showers featuring the most activity in the night sky, preceding the Lyrids in April. Quadrantids are known for their fireball meteors, whose explosions feature light and color for longer periods and are three times brighter than the average meteor. Meteors during the Quadrantids travel at about 25 miles per second, and its peak is shorter than other annual meteor showers because of the Earth’s trajectory with the shower, according to NASA.
Tangent
The northern lights are also expected to be more visible to more people in 2025, the agency noted, as activity on the sun’s surface reached a “solar maximum” in October 2024. This peak will likely persist into early 2026, forecasters said.
Further Reading
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