Quadrantids
The first shower of the year and one of the two richest, but with a sharp, short peak measured in hours rather than days. The radiant sits high over Poland and the January night runs close to twelve hours.
Meteors enter the atmosphere at 41 km/s, which makes them moderately fast. The parent body is 2003 EH1.
Catalogue figures
- Active period
- 28 December - 12 January
- Nominal peak
- 3 January
- Radiant
- RA 15.3 h, dec 49°
- Entry velocity
- 41 km/s
- Parent body
- 2003 EH1
- Catalogue ZHR
- 120
ZHR is a catalogue reference value: the number of meteors an observer would see under a perfectly dark sky with the radiant overhead. It is not a forecast for any given year, nor a number you will count - real activity varies from year to year, and every obstacle (the Moon, a low radiant, light pollution) cuts it several times over.
Observing conditions 2026-2031
Computed for Warszawa as the reference point. "Radiant above 20°" counts the hours when astronomical night (Sun more than 18° below the horizon) and a high enough radiant overlap. The last column subtracts the time the Moon is above the horizon.
Select a peak date to open that night on the event map in the app.
The table scrolls sideways - it has seven columns.
| Peak | Moon | Radiant highest | Astronomical night | Radiant above 20° | Moon-free | Conditions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 January 2026 | 100% | 65.9° · 05:30 | 11.8 h | 6.2 h | 0 h | Moon interferes |
| 3 January 2027 | 20% | 65.7° · 05:30 | 11.8 h | 6.2 h | 6.2 h | good |
| 3 January 2028 | 31% | 65.6° · 05:30 | 11.8 h | 6.2 h | 6.2 h | good |
| 3 January 2029 | 93% | 66° · 05:30 | 11.8 h | 6.2 h | 0 h | Moon interferes |
| 3 January 2030 | 2% | 65.9° · 05:30 | 11.8 h | 6.2 h | 6.2 h | good |
| 3 January 2031 | 74% | 65.7° · 05:30 | 11.8 h | 6.2 h | 2.8 h | partly good |
Plan the night
Check in Lunar Frame how high the radiant sits at a given hour from your own spot, and when the Moon rises and sets that night.
Open Lunar Frame →Where these numbers come from
Active period, nominal peak, radiant, velocity and ZHR come from the Lunar Frame shower catalogue. Moon illumination, the length of astronomical night and radiant altitude are computed with astronomy-engine for Warszawa; across Poland these differ by fractions of a degree, so one reference point describes the whole country.