Meteor shower
Quadrantids 2027: when and where to see them
The Quadrantids peak on the night of 3–4 January 2027. Under a dark sky you could see up to 110 meteors an hour.
Is it clear for the Quadrantids tonight? Check your sky- Peak night
- 3–4 January 2027
- Meteors an hour (ZHR)
- up to 110
- Best time
- before dawn
- Moon
- 12% lit
- Radiant
- Boötes
- Speed
- 41 km/s
The Moon this year
A thin 12% crescent Moon only rises shortly before dawn, so it barely gets in the way.
About the Quadrantids
The Quadrantids can rival the Geminids, but their peak is short: the best rates last only a few hours, so it pays to be out in the hours before dawn on the right night. They are best seen from the northern hemisphere, and the radiant sits low in the north in the evening and climbs high before dawn.
Where to look
The meteors seem to fly out of a point in Boötes, the radiant, but they can appear anywhere in the sky. Look about halfway up, at a wide area of sky away from the Moon and street lights, and give your eyes 20 minutes to adjust to the dark.
How to watch
- Get away from town lights if you can. A dark sky shows several times as many meteors.
- Lie back on a mat or a reclining chair, so you can watch a big piece of sky without craning your neck.
- Keep your phone away, or use a red screen: one glance at a bright screen undoes your night vision.
- Dress warmly and be patient. Meteors come in bursts, with quiet spells in between.
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