January 2006 Meteor Showers

January has one major meteor shower, the Quadrantids. The Quadrantids peak on Jan 3 at around 12:20 UT (7:20 AM EST, 6:20 AM CST, 5:20 AM MST and 4:20 AM PST) and in 2006 the Moon is being very cooperative and will not interfere with the display. Some Quadrantids may be seen from December 28th through January 5th, so anyone with clear skies can catch some Quadrantids this year. This shower is one of the best with peak hourly rates in excess of 100 possible. Until recently the Quadrantids presented a bit of a mystery as to their origin, but in 2003, Peter Jenniskens of NASA's Ames Research Center, uncovered evidence that the minor planet 2003 EH1 is actually an extinct comet, and also the parent of the Quadrantids shower.

I have created a low volume email list for advance notification of upcoming meteor showers and unusual astronomical events; especially those that can be observed with the unaided eye, binoculars, or a small telescope. To join, simply enter your email address below and click on the join now button.

January 6	January 14	January 22	January 29

Return to Meteor Showers in 2006-2007

Return to Celestial Wanderings

Send me e-mail StarWanderer