Quadrantid 2020 Meteor Shower Peak: Will NoVA, DC See It?

WASHINGTON, DC — The year 2020 starts off with what could be a fiery display of meteors during the Quadrantid shower's annual peak overnight late Friday night into the early hours of Saturday, Jan. 4. Whether skywatchers in northern Virginia and Washington, D.C., will be able to see the display — capable of producing 120 shooting stars and hour — depends not only on the weather, but also on careful timing.

Unfortunately, the National Weather Service forecast for Friday night and early Saturday calls for cloudy skies and rain before 1 a.m., with shower possible into the morning, so finding a break in the weather might be difficult.

Unlike other shooting-star shows with multi-night peaks, the Quadrantids crescendo lasts only a few hours, from around 2 a.m. to 7 a.m. local time early Saturday. Despite the narrow viewing time, the Quadrantids are worth the effort it takes to get to a dark sky at precisely the right moment.

Not only are the Quadrantids famous for spitting out dazzling fireballs in an array of colors and brightness, this year could produce up to 120 shooting stars an hour during the peak viewing time, around 5 a.m. local time Saturday, Space.com reported. That’s about three times the rate of normal years.

The Quadrantids are also different from other meteor showers because they’re made up of larger hunks of cosmic rock, resulting in the shower’s spectacular streaks as they collide with Earth’s atmosphere.

The first-quarter moon sets just after midnight, making for dark skies that will make the Quadrantids peak all the more spectacular, according to EarthSky.org.

Related: 2020 Guide To Meteor Showers, Supermoons, Other Celestial Events

The Quadrantids are the oddballs of meteor showers. Their origin is somewhat of a mystery to astronomers. Because the meteors once appeared to stream away from the northerly configuration of stars called Quadrans Muralis, the shower was named the Quadrantids. But the International Astronomical Union jettisoned Quadrans Muralis from the list of named constellations in 1992, more or less orphaning the meteor shower.

The best way to trace the movement of the Quadrantids in the sky is to look for the constellations of Boötes and Draco. Be sure to dress warmly and prepare to gaze toward the heavens for a while. Get to a dark sky away from city lights and give your eyes least 30 minutes to adjust.