Fri Jan 03 07:48:41 UTC 2025: ## Stunning Quadrantid Meteor Shower Peaks Over India
**New Delhi, January 2, 2025** – Stargazers in India are in for a treat as the spectacular Quadrantid meteor shower reaches its peak tonight and into the early hours of January 4th. This celestial display, active since January 1st and lasting until the 16th, promises up to 200 shooting stars per hour under ideal conditions.
The best viewing will be in the Northern Hemisphere, making India an excellent location to witness the shower. NASA recommends finding a dark location away from city lights, lying down with your feet facing northeast, and allowing your eyes to adjust to the darkness for about 30 minutes. The show will continue until dawn, offering ample viewing time. Planetariums also offer opportunities for viewing with telescopes.
The peak viewing time in India is expected around 8:30 PM IST on January 3rd, lasting well into the night. Unlike most meteor showers with a two-day peak, the Quadrantids boast a much shorter peak period, due to their thin particle stream and the Earth’s perpendicular crossing of it.
The Quadrantids, first observed in 1825, are unique for their bright, colorful fireballs that leave lingering trails. These meteors originate from the debris of asteroid 2003 EH1, which the Earth encounters annually as it orbits the Sun. The shower’s name derives from the now-obsolete constellation Quadrans Muralis, also sometimes referred to as the Bootids due to their apparent radiation point in the constellation Boötes.
This year’s Quadrantids promise a breathtaking start to 2025 for astronomy enthusiasts across India.
First Piper 