Jersey Skies: Celestial fireworks to start the new year - Jersey's Best

Meteors from the Quadrantids shower come from an area of the sky in the constellation Bootes, not far from the handle of the Big Dipper. The best time to view will be around 3:30 a.m. on Jan. 4. Photo courtesy of starrynight.com

The Quadrantid meteor shower will come to a peak during the first weekend of 2020. The Quadrantids are not an easy shower to view: They have a short peak of activity (only about 6 hours) and the weather can be poor in early January.

This is the year we may get a break, if the weather cooperates. The moon sets fairly early and the peak is happening before dawn. A good time to start viewing will be after the moon sets at around  1 a.m. on the morning of Sat., Jan. 4.

Meteor showers are named after the constellations they originate from. So, where is the constellation Quadrans? There isn’t one.

In the 18th century, a French astronomer made this part of the sky into a faint constellation named “Quadrans Muralis” after an astronomical instrument. The constellation was faint and didn’t catch on, but the meteor shower still bears the name. This area is now considered part of Bootes, the herdsman, and is not far from the handle of the Big Dipper. The brightest star in Bootes, Arcturus, can be seen rising in the east after midnight this time of year.

This astronomical chart shows Bootes the Ploughman holding a spear, a sickle, and two dogs, Asterion and Chara, on a leash. Photo courtesy of Sidney Hall

Another interesting fact about the Quadrantids: The Chinese may have seen its parent comet in 1490. The comet disappeared until telescopes picked it up again in 2003, but by that time the comet had lost much of its volatile material and is now considered extinct. With no new dust releasing from it, that means eventually the Quadrantid meteor shower will follow its comet into extinction.

As Bootes rises in the northeast during the early morning hours, more meteors should become visible. But keep in mind this is generally not a strong shower — 25 per hour can be expected with clear dark skies — but many are quite faint and hard to see. You may be able to spot a few bright ones. The peak of activity is expected around 3:30 a.m. Jan. 4. You will have about two more hours to look for meteors before twilight begins at 5:43 a.m.

Kevin D. Conod is the planetarium manager and astronomer at The Newark Museum of Art’s Dreyfuss Planetarium. For updates on the night sky, call the Newark Skyline at (973) 596-6529. 

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