The Quadrantids for Kids
Next peak · 65 nights to go
Night of 3–4 January 2027 · Moon 12% · Great
Worth staying up for, if the sky is clear.
In the evening the radiant is low in the north, so only a few.
The next Quadrantids peak is the night of 3–4 January 2027. A 12% Moon is up for part of the night. Verdict: great. Worth staying up for, if the sky is clear. At best a dark sky gives about 120 an hour, by the American Meteor Society's calendar; the Moon is from astronomy-engine.
The Quadrantids are the first shooting stars of the new year. It is cold, so wear a hat. They come before sunrise.
The Quadrantids can be as strong as the best showers, but their peak lasts only a few hours, so many years they are missed. They come from dust left by a small rocky object called 2003 EH1.
The Quadrantids are named for a constellation that no longer exists, Quadrans Muralis, which was folded into Boötes. Their peak is sharp, about six hours, so whether a place sees the best of it depends on the clock. They are known for bright fireballs.
The Quadrantids are named after a constellation that was taken off the official list in 1922.
Which way to look, and when
North-east, below the handle of the Big Dipper, rising after midnight.
Best in the hours before dawn; the peak is short, only a few hours. Active 26 December to 16 January.
Where does it come from?
The Quadrantids are dust from the asteroid 2003 EH1. The bits hit the air at about 41 kilometers a second and glow as they burn up. The streaks seem to start from Boötes, below the Big Dipper's handle, which is how the shower got its name.
Every peak in our table
| Night of 3–4 January 2027 | Great. A 12% Moon is up for part of the night. |
|---|
Some calendars give a peak one night either side; a shower is active for days around it, so the nights next to the peak are worth a look too.
How to watch
- Go out with a grown-up, dressed warmer than you think, with a blanket or a reclining chair.
- Put phones away and give your eyes twenty minutes to get used to the dark.
- Look up at the whole sky, not at one spot, and count every streak you see.
The shower night kit
One sheet to take outside: a box for every ten minutes, a line for the brightest one, and a tick for the clouds. Counting is the game.
The Quadrantids: my shower night
Peak: the night of 3–4 January 2027. Look up at the whole sky. The streaks point back to Boötes, below the Big Dipper's handle. peabody.kids/space/showers/quadrantids
☐ Warm coat and hat ☐ Blanket or chair ☐ Grown-up ☐ Phones away for 20 minutes
| Ten minutes from | Shooting stars I counted (|||| ||) |
|---|---|
| ____ : ____ | |
| ____ : ____ | |
| ____ : ____ | |
| ____ : ____ | |
| ____ : ____ | |
| ____ : ____ |
The brightest one went from ________________ to ________________.
Clouds? ☐ none ☐ some ☐ lots · My total: ______
If the sky is clear. Peak night and rate: American Meteor Society; the Moon: astronomy-engine.
Other showers
“Don't look at one spot. Lie back and let your eyes take in the whole sky.”