Here’s how to see the Quadrantids meteor shower this week in Arizona

You won’t have to wait long for your first opportunity in 2024 to do some skywatching. The annual Quadrantids meteor shower will be peaking this week, bringing hundreds of shooting stars to the nighttime skies.

It’s the first astronomy event of the year and will peak during the evening of Wednesday, Jan. 3 into Thursday, Jan. 4.

According to astronomers, it will feature anywhere from 60 to 200 meteors per hour, so it’s worth spending an hour or two staring into the cosmos.

If you’d like to check out all the celestial activity this week, here’s everything you’ll need to know about the best times to see some shooting stars.

What is the Quadrantids meteor shower?

The Quadrantids meteor shower is an annual celestial event occurring in late December and early January, characterized by its brief but intense peak of shooting stars. It's known for its short duration and for producing a large amount of meteors.

Why is it called the Quadrantids?

Like other showers, it’s named for the constellation located near the radiant (or origin) point for the meteors. In this case, it’s the Quadrans Muralis, a constellation that’s no longer recognized by astronomers and is now known as Boötes (the meteor shower is alternately known as the Bootids).

What caused the Quadrantids meteor shower?

As any astronomer will tell you, showers are caused by our planet passing through dust, rock and ice left behind by comets. When this stellar matter hits the Earth’s atmosphere and burns up, it causes shooting stars. During January, our orbit crosses paths with the detritus of the extinct comet 2003 EH1, which was discovered by Arizona astronomers in 2003.

When can you see the Quadrantids meteor shower?

Between now and mid-January. As we said, it will peak this year on Wednesday, Jan. 3, into the early morning hours of Thursday, Jan. 4. Your best time for viewing is between 2 and 4 a.m. on Thursday. In other words, better set your alarms.

Where do I look to see the Quadrantis meteor shower?

Low in the north/northwestern sky toward the general area of the constellation Boötes and its brightest star, Arcturus. As we mentioned, the meteors will appear to emanate from there.

Can you use any apps to locate the Quadrantis meteor shower?

Sorta. While there are now meteor-tracking apps, basic skywatching and stargazing apps for iOS and Android like Night Sky, SkySafari and Star Walk all can be used to locate Boötes and Arcturus.  

What is the rate of the Quadrantids meteor shower?

During the peak of the Quadrantids meteor shower, skywatchers can typically expect to witness anywhere from 50 to 100 meteors per hour under optimal viewing conditions. This amount can vary widely, though, depending on your location and the amount of moonlight.

What are the viewing conditions for the Quadrantis meteor shower?

Here’s where it gets a little tricky. The moon will be in its waning gibbous phase, which means it will be fairly bright in the sky and will reduce the number of meteors that can be seen. If you’re in the right location, though, you should still be able to spy a fair number of shooting stars. Speaking of which...

Where are the best locations for viewing?

Anywhere with wide-open skies that’s as dark as possible and offers little in the way of light pollution. Basically, that means driving away from the city lights to the outskirts of the Valley and places like Buckeye, Anthem, Queen Creek or Carefree.