Star gazers in Thailand will be able to enjoy the new year’s first display of shooting stars, called the Quadrantid meteor shower, on January 4th, according to Mr. Suparoek Karuhanont of the National Astronomical Research Institute.
He said today that the best time to see the shower is from 2.30am on January 4th until dawn, because there will be no disruption caused by moonlight, adding that the shower may produce as many as 120 shooting stars an hour.
The Quadrantid meteor shower is considered to be one of the best annual meteor showers. Most showers have a two-day peak, which makes catching sight of them far easier. The Quadrantids peak, on the other hand, is for only a few hours.
The Quadrantids are also known for their brightness. The fireballs are larger explosions of light and colour that can persist longer than an average meteor’s streak across the sky.