To start off the new year of 2011, the annual Quadrantids meteor shower always put on a good show. This year, the meteor shower may make its presence known because we will be in the midst of a New Moon. This years Quadrantids meteor shower is expected to produce about 40 to 50 meteors per hour as they peak on January 3rd and 4th as to 2011 year gets underway.
Be sure to get out under the stars after midnight, when the the sky will be at its darkest. This will be on the night of January 3rd, and the early morning of January 4rth. The meteor showers are produced by the remnants of Asteroid 2003 EH1, which was discovered only recently. It is believed that this asteroid may be an extinct comet
The constellation for which the Quadrantids are named and resides between the modern constellations of Bootes and Draco.
The Quandrantids should be able to put on a really good show this year because there will be no interfering light from the moon. The east coast of the United States will be in the midst of a New Moon, so the skies will be nice and dark!
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