Watch Up To 100 Meteors Per Hour In The First Meteor Shower Of 2020, Visible From Texas
We’re about to enter a new decade, and what better way to welcome it than with an explosive meteor shower? The Quadrantids are set to light up the Texas night sky on January 3-4, 2020, and it’s one of the most spectacular celestial events of the year.
Quadrans Muralis, the shower's namesake, was a large constellation first recognized in 1795. It has since been omitted after the International Astronomical Union compiled an official constellation list.
Despite its discontinuation, Quadrans Muralis is still the namesake of the Quadrantid meteor shower. Occurring in early January, it's the first major celestial event of the year.
Peaking in the overnight hours of January 3, the shower boasts up to 120 meteors per hour. This is a rate comparable to both the Perseids and Geminids, however the Quadrantids have a much narrower viewing window.
Along with the Geminids, the Quadrantids are the only other meteors that don't originate from a comet. Instead, they are thought to be caused by an asteroid called 2003 EH, which takes about 5.5 years to orbit the Sun.
No telescopes or binoculars are necessary to view the Geminids. Instead, find a remote spot away from city lights - such as Guadalupe Mountains National Park - lay on the ground, and enjoy a panoramic view of the expansive night sky.
Katie Lawrence is a Southeast Texas native who graduated 18th in her high school class with a GPA of 4.25. She attended college in the Houston area and changed her major twice (psychology, computer science, and finally criminal justice) before taking a leap of faith and dropping out to pursue a career in freelance writing.
Today, Katie writes for the Texas and Arizona pages of OnlyInYourState.com and has never been more passionate about a job before. Outside of work, you can likely find her curled up on the sofa with a hot cup of coffee, watching a crime TV show or scary movie.
