2025’s first meteor shower ‘Quadrantid’ to light up the skies: When to watch in India

The initial weekend of 2025 presents multiple astronomical occurrences, including a brief meteor display, a January ‘SuperSun’, and a twilight conjunction of the Moon and a planet.
A remarkable celestial display welcomes New Year 2025, as the Quadrantids, visible from December 27 until January 16, reaches maximum intensity on January 3 and 4.

Why is it named Quadrantids?

A meteor shower is a celestial spectacle that occurs when Earth travels through cosmic debris trails. This natural phenomenon creates streaks of light in the night sky, often referred to as ‘shooting stars’ by observers.
The debris originates primarily from comets, which shed particles as they orbit the sun. These particles, ranging from tiny dust grains to small rocks, remain in space along the comet’s orbital path. When Earth intersects these debris trails during its annual orbit, the particles enter our atmosphere at extremely high speeds.

While most meteor showers are annual events, their intensity can vary year to year. This variation occurs because Earth passes through different densities of debris trails during each encounter. Some years may produce exceptional displays when Earth passes through particularly dense regions of cosmic debris.

Meteor showers are predictable events that occur at specific times each year. Each shower is named after the constellation from which the meteors appear to originate, known as the radiant point. For example, the Perseids appear to come from Perseus, while the Leonids seem to emerge from Leo.
This shower’s name derives from Quadrans Muralis, an obsolete 18th-century constellation, referencing the quadrant instrument historically used for celestial measurements. Contemporary observers locate the Quadrantids’ radiant in Boötes constellation, near the Big Dipper in the northern sky. Discovered in 1825, the shower’s source remained unknown until 2003, when a Lowell Observatory astronomer identified

asteroid 2003 EH1

as its origin.
The intensity of meteor showers varies significantly. Some showers produce only a few meteors per hour, while others can create spectacular displays with hundreds of meteors visible each hour. This rate is known as the Zenithal Hourly Rate (ZHR).
The Quadrantid meteors reach their peak on Thursday, with calculations suggesting a ZHR of 80. Viewing conditions are favourable with a 27% waxing crescent Moon. The minimal lunar illumination creates excellent observation conditions for the 2025 ‘Quads’.
Viewing details
The visibility of meteor showers depends on several factors. Dark skies are essential, as artificial light pollution can obscure the meteors. The phase of the moon also plays a crucial role – a new or crescent moon provides darker skies than a full moon. Weather conditions, particularly clear skies, are vital for optimal viewing.
The best viewing time is typically between midnight and dawn, when your location on Earth faces the direction of Earth’s orbit. This timing means more meteors are likely to be visible as they enter the atmosphere.
Meteors may appear any night, but showers occur when Earth passes through comet or asteroid debris orbiting the sun. These particles, sometimes minuscule, create luminous streaks whilst burning in Earth’s atmosphere.
Annual meteor showers have predictable timeframes lasting days or weeks, with peak activity occurring during Earth’s passage through the densest debris sections. Meteors appear to emanate from a single celestial point during observation.
Peak activity occurs between 15.00-18.00 Universal Time (UT) on Friday, providing optimal viewing for northern Pacific observers at dawn.
North American and European observers should consider watching during the early hours of Friday and Saturday, as peak timing may vary. However, its peak time in India will be on the night between Thursday and Friday.