Quadrantid meteor shower, the first of 2025, peaks this week

The annual Quadrantid meteor shower — the first of 2025 — is set to peak early on Friday. During that time, the shooing stars won't be overshadowed by moonlight.

Ring in the new year with the first meteor shower of 2025.

The annual Quadrantid meteor shower is set to peak during the early hours of Friday, before dawn. That’s when people in the Northern Hemisphere will have the best chance of seeing the shooting stars, though the shower is already underway. Lucky people might be able to catch some on New Year’s Eve, but the celestial show will stay active until Jan. 16.

The Quadrantid meteor shower is caused by debris from an asteroid called 2003 EH1, which takes more than 5 years to complete one orbit around the sun.

The Quadrantids are known for producing brighter, and sometimes colorful, fireball meteors because they originate from larger pieces of debris.

During the shower’s peak early Friday, the crescent moon will already have set, so the shooting stars won’t be at risk of getting overshadowed by bright moonlight.

https://www.nbcnews.com/science/space/quadrantid-meteor-shower-first-2025-peak-rcna185774

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