The first meteor shower of the New Year also has the potential to be one of the year's best – if the weather cooperates. But astronomers lament that the Quadrantid meteors tend to fall short of expectations due to the comparatively short length of their maximum activity and the obscuring wintry conditions of early January.

However, the Quadrantid influx is sharply peaked: six hours before and after maximum, these blue meteors appear at only half of their highest rates. This means that the stream of particles is a narrow one — possibly derived relatively recently from a small comet.

Skywatchers in the Northern Hemisphere are gearing up for one of the most spectacular celestial displays of the year tonight—the Quadrantid meteor shower. The meteor shower has a brief but powerful peak,