Quadrantids 2025: Everything you need to know to watch the meteor shower in the UK
Quadrantids meteor shower, a highlight for stargazers every January, is making its 2025 appearance, promising up to 120 meteors per hour at its peak. Visible from 1-12 January, the shower’s sharp peak on 3 January provides a narrow but rewarding window for observation. UK residents, in particular, can take advantage of excellent viewing conditions due to a thin crescent moon ensuring minimal interference.
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What Makes the Quadrantids Unique?
Unlike most meteor showers originating from comets, the Quadrantids are associated with asteroid 2003 EH1. Dr Robert Massey of the Royal Astronomical Society explained, “We appear to be running into a trail of debris associated with it, so the thinking is that might actually be an extinct comet… More than 500 years ago there was a comet seen by the Chinese, and it may be connected with that.”
The meteors radiate from the now-obsolete constellation Quadrans Muralis, once mapped near Boötes and the Big Dipper. Observers can expect meteors to streak across the sky at speeds of up to 70 kilometres per second, creating brilliant displays of light.
When and Where to Watch in the UK
For the UK, the best opportunity to view the Quadrantids will be before dawn or after sunset on 3 January, as the peak activity is expected at 3 PM GMT. Dr Massey advised, “If you're in the
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