There’s a lot to look forward to in 2023, and the first meteor shower of the year should be at the top of your list. For star enthusiasts and nature lovers alike, the Quadrantid meteor shower in Virginia will be an event worth viewing. Viewers who brave the early morning cold will be rewarded with up to 40 meteors per hour at the peak of the show on January 3rd, weather permitting. Here’s more on this fantastic celestial event you won’t want to miss!

Beginning on December 12th, just after midnight, the night sky will be illuminated with a dazzling meteor shower known as the Quadrantids. This meteor shower gets its name from the former constellation Quadrans Muralis and can be viewed in the northern sky typically before midnight.
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While most meteor showers experience their peak just a few hours after midnight, this shower typically hits its peak and produces up to 40 meteors per hour just before dawn on the morning of January 3, 2023. What a perfect time to go stargazing in Virginia!
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The Quadrantids are unique for many reasons, the main one being that they are thought to have originated from asteroid 2003 EH1, which is nicknamed a "rock comet". The asteroid is believed to have broken away from a larger comet that dismantled in 1490.
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Another reason these shooting stars are unique is because of their color. While most meteors appear white as they streak across the sky, the Quadrantids can appear in shades of pink, bright blue, yellow, and even green.
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Stargazers should look near the Big Dipper to see the radius of the meteor shower. This should be easy to locate on a clear evening if you keep your eyes focused on the night sky.
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The meteors are best seen in dark skies, so be sure to find a place where there won't be much light pollution from nearby houses or buildings. If you’re stumped on the best viewing locations, try one of Virginia's state parks or even Shenandoah National Park. Any of these parks would make for memorable locations from which to witness one of the most amazing natural wonders of Virginia.
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If you are lucky enough to witness the first meteor shower of 2023 in all its splendor and beauty, you're in for a magical experience that you won't soon forget.
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Have you witnessed the Quadrantids meteor shower in Virginia? Is the experience as magical as it sounds? We’d love to hear from you in the comments below.

If you’re looking for another great place to watch the meteor shower, be sure to check out Virginia’s very own International Dark Sky Park.

 

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Quadrantid Meteor Shower in Virginia

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Virginia is a beautiful state with plenty of fun stuff to do, and better still, plenty of that fun stuff is free, too! There’s a laundry list of free things to do in Virginia that we totally love, like the beloved family park known as Mount Trashmore, which sits on what used to be an old landfill (don’t worry, it’s a lot cleaner and nicer than it sounds like it would be). In Harrisonburg, you can visit the Edith J. Carrier Arboretum located on the James Madison University campus at no cost and learn about the beautiful foliage and plant life native to Virginia. It’s open 365 days a year! Check out attractions like the Fairfax County Park, Bluebird Gap Farm, and so much more. For more information about each of these ideas and then some, check out this list of 14 totally fun and unforgettable free things to do in Virginia.  

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Virginia is lucky for many reasons; it’s beautiful, the weather is wonderful most of the year, and the folks who call this place home are usually warm and friendly. There are also plentiful night skies over our heads each and every evening, and in those skies, some pretty cool things can happen. At a glance, some of the upcoming celestial events in Virginia for 2022 in January and February include the Quadrantids meteor shower and conjunctions of both the moon and Saturn and the moon and Jupiter. There’s also the Lyrid Meteor Shower in April, and a moon/Mercury conjunction in May. August always means the Perseids, and one can also naturally expect full moons, new moons, and everything in between. The skies are a beautiful place – much like the entirety of Virginia itself – and our state is absolutely perfect for stargazing.  

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