The Quadrantids

Our guideWhat this means for your night

Our plain-language reading of the sources and calculations on this page. It adds no new facts; the quotes below are the evidence.

What to expect. The Quadrantids come from an asteroid, 2003 EH1, rather than a comet, according to NASA. The AMS says they have the potential to be the strongest shower of the year but usually fall short, because the maximum lasts only about 6 hours and early January weather is often poor. The published numbers spread widely because they measure different things: NASA's 60 to 200 an hour is under perfect conditions, IMO's 80 is a ZHR for an ideal sky with the radiant overhead, and the AMS's 25 is the average hourly rate under dark skies.

Timing in 2027. The AMS says the 2027 peak is near 3:30 UT on January 4 and favors Europe and western Asia. Our conversion of IMO's time puts the maximum in the US evening, Jan 3, 10:25 p.m. EST. Our calculation also puts the radiant highest around 8:30 a.m. local mean solar time, after sunrise. Put together, the short peak happens while the radiant is still low for US observers, so American watchers are unlikely to see rates near the headline figures. The Moon helps: USNO shows a waning crescent, 15% lit on Jan 3 and 9% on Jan 4.

Tips that follow. Because the peak is short, go out on the suggested night rather than counting on the nights around it. IMO notes that bright fireballs have been seen a few days after the peak, so a clear night later in the first week of January isn't wasted. The AMS adds that Quadrantids often produce bright fireballs but usually lack persistent trains.

Where to look. NASA places the radiant in the old constellation Quadrans Muralis, between Bootes and Draco, near the end of the handle of the Big Dipper, which makes a fun pointer for kids. The constellation itself was created in 1795, and NASA says the shower was first seen in 1825.

LMST is local mean solar time, which can differ from your clock by an hour or more. The time the radiant is highest isn't a recommended start time; it can fall in twilight or daylight. Moon figures: USNO's one-day figure for each calendar date, requested for 39.83° N, 98.58° W (near the center of the contiguous US) at UTC−6. USNO doesn't say what time of day the figure applies to. Illumination only; check local moonrise and moonset.

Where they come from

“Unlike most meteor showers which originate from comets, the Quadrantids originate from an asteroid: asteroid 2003 EH1.”

Source: NASA meteor shower page

When they're active

“The Quadrantids have the potential to be the strongest shower of the year but usually fall short due to the short length of maximum activity (6 hours) and the poor weather experienced during early January.”

Source: AMS meteor shower calendar

“Predictions for 2027 show a peak near 3:30 UT on January 4th. This timing favors Europe and western Asia.”

Source: AMS meteor shower calendar

“The QUA activity extends until about January 12 and even a few days after the actual peak, bright fireballs have been observed.”

Source: IMO 2027 Meteor Shower Calendar (PDF)

Where to look

“Quadrans Muralis is located between the constellations of Bootes and Draco (near the end of the handle of the "Big Dipper").”

Source: NASA meteor shower page

Quadrantids: radiant height and rise time, Jan 3, 2027

Our calculationFrom the radiant position on our calendar: right ascension (RA) 230°, declination (Dec) +49° (IMO 2027 calendar). Method on our About page.

Highest altitude is when the radiant crosses due north-south. The rise time is when it clears a flat horizon, ignoring refraction, twilight and terrain.

How many to expect

“During its peak, 60 to as many as 200 Quadrantid meteors can be seen per hour under perfect conditions.”

Source: NASA meteor shower page

“The average hourly rate one can expect under dark skies is 25.”

Source: AMS meteor shower calendar

ZHR is a standardized rate: what one observer would count in an hour under a perfectly dark sky with the radiant straight overhead. It isn't a forecast, and what you count is usually lower.

What they look like

“These meteors usually lack persistent trains but often produce bright fireballs.”

Source: AMS meteor shower calendar

Famous displays

“French astronomer Jerome Lalande created this constellation in 1795. (The constellation takes its name from an early astronomical instrument used to observe and plot star positions: a quadrant.) The Quadrantids were first seen in 1825.”

Source: NASA meteor shower page

How to watch

“Due to the high northerly declination (celestial latitude), these meteors are not well seen from the southern hemisphere.”

Source: AMS meteor shower calendar

For any meteor shower

“Most meteor showers are best observed between midnight and dawn.”

Source: AMS meteor FAQ

“Find a dark location with an unobstructed view and give your eyes at least 20–30 minutes to adjust. Full dark adaptation takes longer, so avoid bright lights and phone screens.”

Source: AMS meteor FAQ

“Meteor showers are best observed with the unaided eye. Binoculars and telescopes restrict your field of view, making it harder to catch meteors appearing across the sky.”

Source: AMS meteor FAQ

“Look toward a dark, clear part of the sky, roughly halfway between the horizon and directly overhead.”

Source: AMS meteor FAQ

“It is a standardized estimate of shower activity under ideal conditions: a very dark, clear sky with the radiant directly overhead. It is not the number most observers will actually see.”

Source: AMS meteor FAQ

How many meteors you actually see depends on the shower's activity that night, how dark your sky is, clouds, and how high the radiant is.

We don't know the weather on any given night. Check a forecast, and the calendar for the moon on each date.

All meteor showers · Find a dark sky place