Quadrantids: chasing a short peak

Quadrantids: 18 meteors in 1.75 h · limiting mag. 5.6

The Quadrantids can be as strong as the Geminids, but the peak is only a few hours wide, and this year the predicted maximum fell in daylight for us. I went out anyway, before dawn, to catch the tail end.

The radiant sits low in the north in the evening and climbs through the night, so the morning hours are the useful ones. Snow on the ground helped: everything was brighter than usual and I could see where I was putting my feet.

Count

Eighteen Quadrantids in an hour and three quarters before the sky brightened too much. Respectable for being well off the peak. They were noticeably bluish compared to the Geminids three weeks earlier.