Catching the Quadrantids: Tips for Viewing the First Meteor Shower of 2025
Discover how to observe the Quadrantids, the inaugural meteor shower of 2025. This guide provides tips and techniques for optimal viewing, ensuring you make the most of this celestial event. Whether you're a seasoned skywatcher or a novice, you'll find valuable information on planning your experience and maximizing your chances of witnessing the dazzling display of shooting stars.
TroibNews 
The Quadrantid meteor shower will peak on Friday, marking the first opportunity to witness fireballs in the sky for 2025.
With a waning crescent moon, visibility should be excellent under clear and dark conditions.
Meteor showers are typically named after the constellations from which they seem to emanate in the night sky. However, the Quadrantids "take their name from a constellation that doesn't exist anymore," explained NASA's William Cooke.
While these meteors generally do not leave long trails, their bright heads can appear as fireballs. According to NASA, the peak could showcase as many as 120 meteors per hour.
Viewing conditions will remain favorable until January 16. Here’s what you should know about the Quadrantids and other meteor showers.
What is a meteor shower?
As Earth orbits the sun, it occasionally travels through debris left behind by comets and, at times, asteroids. The Quadrantids specifically originate from the debris of the asteroid 2003 EH1.
When these swiftly moving space rocks enter Earth's atmosphere, the debris encounters air resistance, causing it to heat up and eventually incinerate.
Sometimes, the surrounding air momentarily glows, creating a fiery tail—commonly referred to as a "shooting star."
You don't need any specialized equipment to observe the various meteor showers each year; all you need is a location away from artificial lights.
How to view a meteor shower
The optimal time to observe a meteor shower is during the early predawn hours when the moon is positioned low in the sky.
Bright sources of light, whether from the moon or manmade sources, can hinder your view of meteors. Ideally, clear nights when the moon is least illuminated provide the best conditions for viewing.
Remember to keep your gaze upward. Your eyes will adjust better to the dark if you avoid checking your phone.
The Quadrantids will peak on a night featuring a slim crescent moon, which will be just 11 percent full.
When is the next meteor shower?
Following the Quadrantids, the next meteor shower, the Lyrids, is expected to peak in mid-April.
Jessica Kline contributed to this report for TROIB News
With a waning crescent moon, visibility should be excellent under clear and dark conditions.
Meteor showers are typically named after the constellations from which they seem to emanate in the night sky. However, the Quadrantids "take their name from a constellation that doesn't exist anymore," explained NASA's William Cooke.
While these meteors generally do not leave long trails, their bright heads can appear as fireballs. According to NASA, the peak could showcase as many as 120 meteors per hour.
Viewing conditions will remain favorable until January 16. Here’s what you should know about the Quadrantids and other meteor showers.
What is a meteor shower?
As Earth orbits the sun, it occasionally travels through debris left behind by comets and, at times, asteroids. The Quadrantids specifically originate from the debris of the asteroid 2003 EH1.
When these swiftly moving space rocks enter Earth's atmosphere, the debris encounters air resistance, causing it to heat up and eventually incinerate.
Sometimes, the surrounding air momentarily glows, creating a fiery tail—commonly referred to as a "shooting star."
You don't need any specialized equipment to observe the various meteor showers each year; all you need is a location away from artificial lights.
How to view a meteor shower
The optimal time to observe a meteor shower is during the early predawn hours when the moon is positioned low in the sky.
Bright sources of light, whether from the moon or manmade sources, can hinder your view of meteors. Ideally, clear nights when the moon is least illuminated provide the best conditions for viewing.
Remember to keep your gaze upward. Your eyes will adjust better to the dark if you avoid checking your phone.
The Quadrantids will peak on a night featuring a slim crescent moon, which will be just 11 percent full.
When is the next meteor shower?
Following the Quadrantids, the next meteor shower, the Lyrids, is expected to peak in mid-April.
Jessica Kline contributed to this report for TROIB News
