The astronomer named the date of the peak of the most powerful January starfall

In early January 2026, residents of Russia will be able to observe one of the most powerful meteor showers of the year — the Quadrantides. The peak of activity is expected on the night of January 2-3, said Sergey Bogachev, head of the Laboratory of Solar Astronomy at the IKI RAS and the ISSF SB RAS.

According to the scientist, the Quadrantids are among the three most intense annual meteor showers along with the Perseids and Geminids.

"Theoretically, up to a hundred meteors per hour can be seen during peak hours. By its very nature, this is one of the brightest streams of the year," said Bogachev.

The expert explained that a meteor shower occurs when the Earth passes through the dust tail of the parent body — in the case of the Quadrantids, it is a small asteroid 2003 EH1 about a kilometer in size.

"We don't see stars, but tiny dust particles that burn up in the atmosphere at high speed, creating the effect of shooting stars," the astronomer emphasized.

At the same time, Bogachev noted that, despite the high intensity, Quadrantides are observed less frequently than summer starfall.

"The peak of the Quadrantids is very short — it can last only a few hours. In addition, in January, clouds and cold often interfere, so the flow is easy to miss," he explained.

For observations, the specialist recommends choosing places away from city lights and starting to look at the sky a few hours before the estimated maximum.

"Even if you don't hit the exact peak, bright meteors can be seen in the neighboring hours. If the weather permits, this chance definitely should not be missed," Sergey Bogachev summed up.

The astronomer added that the Quadrantid radiant is located in the area of the constellation of Volopas near the Big Dipper, which is clearly visible almost throughout Russia, which makes the starfall accessible to most observers.

For more information, see the Izvestia article.

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