One of 2012’s most-active meteor shower peaks Tuesday night into early Wednesday, with an estimated 40-100 meteors per hour.
The peak lasts only for a few hours and comes near midnight Tuesday MST. The best viewing may come a few hours later when the moon sets. Sporadic meteors may be seen a few days before and after the peak.
Meteor showers — which occur when Earth passes through debris shed by comets or asteroids — are usually named for the constellation from which they appear to radiate.
Called the Quadrantids, the meteor shower is named for a constellation that no longer exists — the Quadrans Muralis, or wall quadrant. The wall quadrant was an instrument used by early astronomers to measure sky positions.
Quadrans Muralis was a group of stars located near the Big Dipper’s handle.
Meteor showers are best observed with the naked eye from a dark place far from city lights. Meteors can be seen anywhere in the sky, though they may seem to radiate from the northeastern sky.
Ann Schrader: 303-954-1967 or aschrader@denverpost.com.
