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'08's Best Meteor Show Tonight

Unique opportunity for viewing Quadrantids

By Matt Cantor,  Newser Staff

Posted Jan 3, 2008 4:01 PM CST
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(Newser) – The most exciting space show of 2008 might well be the Quadrantid meteor shower's peak at 1:40 a.m. EST tomorrow, Space.com reports. Though factors such as moonlight and weather usually obscure the annual spectacle, a rural observer this year may see one or two shooting stars per minute. Eastern North America and Western Europe are prime viewing positions.

Viewers should look for "bright and bluish" meteors "with long silvery trains." In most years, the brevity of the shower's peak—only eight hours—and its position low in the sky add to the challenge of getting a good view. Central and western viewers might still be affected, but should still be able to see 15 to 30 meteors per hour.

From left to right, David Lamme, Brian Oxnam, Cristopher Lott, photograph the meteor shower on Dinosaur Hill in Pleasant Hill, California on Tuesday, November 19, 2002. Tomorrow at 1:40 AM is the expected peak of an unusually easy-to-see Quadrantin meteor shower.
From left to right, David Lamme, Brian Oxnam, Cristopher Lott, photograph the meteor shower on Dinosaur Hill in Pleasant Hill, California on Tuesday, November 19, 2002. Tomorrow at 1:40 AM is the expected...   (KRT Photos)
A meteorite in flight.
A meteorite in flight.   (Getty Images)
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Find out more about the Quadrantids, including your local shower rate
SETI Institute

 
astronomy • meteor shower • meteor • Quadrantids

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