Quadrantid Meteor Shower Bad News/Good News

Quadrantid meteor January 4, 2012 via dshorty on Flickr. View larger.

Tonight’s stargazing scene is pretty much a bad news/good news scenario here in Amherst (and the northeast in general). The bad news is that, despite the clear skies, the Quadrantid meteor shower – characterized by an unusually short peak window – will probably not be visible for us here in Amherst since it is predicted to peak after the sun rises on January 3. And that’s the good news, too – we have a really good excuse for not hauling ourselves out of bed, bundling up (imagine the temperatures outside tonight), and hurling our fragile selves outside into sub-zero temperatures. I would do it (really, I would!) to witness one of the most underrated, unseen and – if caught at the right moment - spectacular annual meteor showers. At its peak, the Quads deliver 60-200 meteors per hour!  (By the way, assuming peak comes as predicted, northwestern North America should be in a good place to watch this year’s Quads.)

That said, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that there is always some speculation about when the “Quads” will peak, and this year is no different. Various web sites predict different ideal viewing times, and because this meteor shower has an unusually short hours-long peak window (unlike the Geminids or Perseids which can be seen, usually, over a couple of nights), small differences in when the Quads peak can make all the difference. So, it’s within the realm of possibility that Amherst-based stargazers might actually catch sight of some Quads just before dawn. If you want to give it a whirl, by all means get up around 3:30-4:00 am (before dawn), and look towards the northeast between the horizon and the Big Dipper. Remember, the “non-wind-chill” temperature should be around 3°F at that point, so dress accordingly and fortify yourself with blankets and a thermos of something hot. And if you do go out to meteor watch, we want to hear all about it. Just imagine how it would warm your soul (if not your body) if you did catch these in flight. Moreover, being able to say that you caught the Quads is – in stargazing circles anyway - worth bragging rights for years. I’m not sure yet if I will go out, since sometimes at 4 am the lure of a meteor or two is too much to resist, even if the odds of spotting anything are poor. Ultimately, however, I’m pretty sure the lure of staying warm under the covers will prove even more irresistible.