The Quadrantids Meteor Shower 2010
A single Quadrantid meteor can be seen on the far right of the image. Taken at location 53.409319,-4.516483 on 01/04/2010 / @ 03:27:10
Typically, 40 or so bright, blue and fast (25.5 miles per second) meteors will radiate from the constellation Bootes, some blazing more than halfway across the sky. A small percentage of them leave persistent dust trains. This shower usually has a very sharp peak, usually lasting only about an hour.
Sky maps created with Stellarium from www.stellarium.org and Starry Nights
The particles that cause the Quadrantid meteor show originate from the asteroid 2003 EH1 an asteroid that is probably a piece broken off of an obsolete comet. Since the orbit of 2003 EH1 is highly inclined to the orbit of the Earth, the Earth passes through it very quickly. Thus, the Quadrantid meteor shower is an extremely short one, lasting only a few hours.
In 2010 the Quadrantid meteor shower is predicted to reach a peak in the early hours of January 4th but the shower will be visible between January 1st and January 5th 2010.
For more information on the meteor shower this site is full of information.
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This is so interesting. But i’m scared we might die.
I saw a kind of star; exactly, thought a star but since it was not twinkling, I thought a planet but it was moving very fast then I thought it could be that starting for the peak of Quadrantids. Anyway, night is not starting up bad after all in 2010 for the star gazers!
I have just seen a large fire ball travelling quite slow from West to East at 21.10 – one of the best I have seen yet.
Just seen amazing sight to bring in 2010!