Meteor shower active Jan. 4-7

“Shooting stars” that spring from the brilliant Quadrantid meteor will kick off a new year of sky-watching for Filipinos.

According to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), the annual Quadrantid meteor shower will be active until January 7, reaching its peak activity in the early hours of January 4 where meteors or "falling stars" can be seen at the rate of at least 40 meteors per hour.

The meteor shower will be best observed during the wee hours of these dates, PAGASA said.

The shower will appear to radiate from the constellation of Bootes, which is below the Big Dipper constellation, in the northeast horizon.

PAGASA explained that the Quadrantid meteor shower hits the

Earth’s atmosphere at the rate of about 40 kilometers per second.

The incinerated dust are said to be particles apparently derived from the debris ejected by the near-Earth asteroid 2003 EH, it added.

Likewise, this month, the conjunctions of Venus, Jupiter and Mercury will be a good target for observations and astrophotography under a dark and cloudless sky condition.

It also said Venus will be too close to the south of the waning crescent moon and becomes a nice target for documentation purposes.

Neptune, Mars and Uranus will also be observed, standing above the west-southwestern horizon.

Neptune will lie among the stars of the constellation Aquarius, while Mars and Uranus will abode among the stars of the constellation Pisces.

PAGASA said observing the giant planets will require a binocular or a telescope and a star map under dark and clear sky condition.