Editing Quadrantids

{{Short description|Meteor shower}}
{{Infobox meteor shower
| name               = Quadrantids (QUA)
| pronounce          = {{IPAc-en|k|w|ɒ|ˈ|d|r|æ|n|t|ə|d|z}}
| date               = 1820s<ref name="meteorshowersonline.com"/>
| parent             = {{mpl-|196256|2003 EH|1}}
<!-- Radiant -->
| constellation      = [[Boötes]]
| ra                 = {{RA|15|28}}<ref name=moore_rees2011/>
| dec                = {{DEC|+50}}<ref name=moore_rees2011/>
<!-- Properties -->
| month              = {{nowrap|December 28{{spaced en dash}}January 12}}<ref name=moore_rees2011/>
| peak               = January&nbsp;3<ref name=moore_rees2011/>
| velocity           = 41<ref name=jrasc47_237/>
| zhr                = 120 <ref name=amsmeteors.org/>
| notes              =
}}

The '''Quadrantids''' ('''QUA''') are a [[meteor shower]] that peaks in early January and whose [[radiant (meteor shower)|radiant]] lies in the constellation [[Boötes]]. The [[zenithal hourly rate]] (ZHR) of this shower can be as high as that of two other reliably rich meteor showers, the [[Perseids]] in August and the [[Geminids]] in December,<ref name="amsmeteors.org">{{cite web |url=http://www.amsmeteors.org/meteor-showers/meteor-faq/#7 |title=Does the published meteor rate for a shower really represent what I should expect to see? |publisher=[[American Meteor Society]] |access-date=2012-12-29}}</ref> yet Quadrantid meteors are not seen as often as those of the two other showers because the time frame of the peak is exceedingly narrow, sometimes lasting only hours. Moreover, the meteors are quite faint, with mean [[apparent magnitude]]s between 3.0 and 6.0.

==Observations and associations==
The meteor rates exceed one-half of their highest value for only about eight hours (compared to two days for the August Perseids), which means that the stream of particles that produces this shower is narrow, and apparently deriving within the last 500 years from some orbiting body.<ref name="space.com" /> The parent body of the Quadrantids was tentatively identified in 2003 by [[Peter Jenniskens]]<ref name="sjaa"/> as the minor planet {{mpl-|196256|2003 EH|1}}, which in turn may be related to the comet [[Qingyang event|C/1490 Y1]]<ref name=Jenniskens2004/> that was observed by Chinese, Japanese and Korean astronomers some 500 years ago.

[[File:Quadrantid meteor shower radiant point.jpeg|thumb|Radiant point of Quadrantid meteor shower, active each year in early January]]
The [[Radiant (meteor shower)|radiant point]] of this shower is at the northern edge of the [[constellation]] [[Boötes]], not far from the [[Big Dipper]]. It lies between the end of the handle of the Big Dipper and the quadrilateral of stars marking the head of the constellation [[Draco (constellation)|Draco]].<ref name="space.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.space.com/spacewatch/081219-ns-meteor-shower.html|title=Stellar Meteor Shower Jan. 3 |date=19 December 2008 |publisher=[[Space.com]]|access-date=2009-01-03}}</ref> This meteor shower is best seen in the northern hemisphere, but it can be seen partly to 50 degrees south latitude.<ref name="Meteorwatch"/>

The name comes from [[Quadrans Muralis]], a [[Former constellations|former constellation]] created in 1795 by the French astronomer [[Jérôme Lalande]] that included portions of [[Boötes]] and [[Draco (constellation)|Draco]].  In early January 1825, Antonio Brucalassi in Italy reported that “the atmosphere was traversed by a multitude of the luminous bodies known by the name of falling stars.”<ref name="meteorshowersonline.com">{{Cite web | url=http://meteorshowersonline.com/quadrantids.html | title=Quadrantids | publisher=meteorshowersonline.com | access-date=2012-12-29 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130106011722/http://meteorshowersonline.com/quadrantids.html | archive-date=2013-01-06 | url-status=dead }}</ref> They appeared to radiate from Quadrans Muralis. In 1839, [[Adolphe Quetelet]] of [[Royal Observatory of Belgium|Brussels Observatory]] in Belgium and Edward C. Herrick in Connecticut<ref>{{Cite book |last=Herrick |first=Edward Claudius |chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/mobot31753002152137/page/365/mode/2up?view=theater |title=The American Journal of Science |date=December 24, 1834 |volume=35 |location=New Haven, Kline Geology Laboratory, Yale University. |publication-date=1839 |pages=365–366 |language=en |chapter=Shooting Stars of December 7, 1838}}</ref> independently made the suggestion that the Quadrantids are an annual shower.<ref name="earthsky.org">{{cite web|url=http://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/everything-you-need-to-know-quadrantid-meteor-shower|title=Everything you need to know: Quadrantid meteor shower |publisher=EarthSky|access-date=2012-12-29}}</ref>

In 1922, the [[International Astronomical Union]] (IAU) devised a list of 88 modern constellations. The list was agreed upon by the IAU at its inaugural general assembly held in Rome in May 1922.<ref name="ianridpath.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.ianridpath.com/iaulist1.htm|title=The IAU list of the 88 constellations and their abbreviations|publisher=ianridpath.com|access-date=2012-12-29}}</ref>  It did not include a constellation Quadrans Muralis. The IAU officially adopted this list in 1930,<ref name="iau.org">{{cite web|url=http://www.iau.org/public/constellations/|title=IAU and the 88 Constellations|publisher=iau.org|access-date=2012-12-29}}</ref> but this meteor shower still retains the name Quadrantids, for the original and now-obsolete constellation.

{| style="margin:auto;" | class="wikitable"
! width="10%" | Year
! width="15%" | Quadrantids active during
! width="65%" | Peak of shower
! width="10%" | [[Zenithal hourly rate|ZHR<sub>max</sub>]]
|-
| align="center"|2008
| align="center"|Jan. 1–5
| Jan. 4
| align="center"|82<ref name=IMO2008>[http://www.imo.net/live/quadrantids2008/ Quadrantids 2008: visual data quicklook] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130202105555/http://www.imo.net/live/quadrantids2008/ |date=2013-02-02 }}</ref>
|-
| align="center"|2009
| align="center"|Jan. 1–5
| Jan. 3
| align="center"|146<ref name=IMO2009>[http://www.imo.net/live/quadrantids2009/ Quadrantids 2009: visual data quicklook] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130202105544/http://www.imo.net/live/quadrantids2009/ |date=2013-02-02 }}</ref>
|-
| align="center"|2010
| align="center"|
| Waning gibbous Moon<ref name=IMO2010>[http://www.imo.net/calendar/2010#janmar IMO Meteor Shower Calendar 2010: January to March]</ref> (full Moon on Dec. 31)<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://aa.usno.navy.mil/cgi-bin/aa_moonphases.pl?year=2009 |title=U.S. Naval Observatory Phases of the Moon 2009 |access-date=2012-12-10 |archive-date=2016-03-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303230922/http://aa.usno.navy.mil/cgi-bin/aa_moonphases.pl?year=2009 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
| align="center"|
|-
| align="center"|2011
| align="center"|Dec. 28 – Jan. 12
| Jan. 3
| align="center"|90<ref name=IMO2011>[https://web.archive.org/web/20110109102117/http://www.imo.net/live/quadrantids2011/ Quadrantids 2011: visual data quicklook]</ref>
|-
| align="center"|2012
| align="center"|Dec. 28 – Jan. 12
| Jan. 4
| align="center"|83<ref name=IMO2012>[http://www.imo.net/live/quadrantids2012/ Quadrantids 2012: visual data quicklook] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121225233748/http://imo.net/live/quadrantids2012/ |date=2012-12-25 }}</ref>
|-
| align="center"|2013
| align="center"|
| Jan. 3 Waning gibbous Moon (full Moon on Dec. 28)<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://aa.usno.navy.mil/cgi-bin/aa_moonphases.pl?year=2012 |title=U.S. Naval Observatory Phases of the Moon 2012 |access-date=2012-12-10 |archive-date=2012-04-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120414230357/http://aa.usno.navy.mil/cgi-bin/aa_moonphases.pl?year=2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
| align="center"|137<ref name=IMO2013>[http://www.imo.net/live/quadrantids2013/ Quadrantids 2013: visual data quicklook] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131224152157/http://imo.net/live/quadrantids2013/ |date=2013-12-24 }}</ref><ref>[http://www.cloudbait.com/science/quadrantid2013.html 2013 Quadrantid Shower] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151117090857/http://www.cloudbait.com/science/quadrantid2013.html |date=2015-11-17 }} (Chris L Peterson @ Cloudbait Observatory)</ref>
|-
| align="center"|2014
| align="center"|
| Jan. 4 Main peak with ZHR<sub>max</sub>=245 between Jan. 3 17:00 UT and 22:30 UT; isolated brief spike of ZHR<sub>max</sub>=315 Jan. 4 at 18:00 UT
| align="center"|315<ref name=IMO2014>[http://www.imo.net/live/quadrantids2014/ Quadrantids 2014: visual data quicklook] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151117032634/http://www.imo.net/live/quadrantids2014/ |date=2015-11-17 }}</ref>
|-
| align="center"|2015
|
|Waxing gibbous Moon (full Moon on Jan. 5)<ref>{{cite web |title=Moon Phase on January 4, 2015 |url=https://www.moongiant.com/phase/01/04/2015/ |website=Moongiant}}</ref>
|
|-
| align="center" | 2016 ||  ||Jan. 3 at 14 UT <ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.imo.net/files/meteor-shower/cal2017.pdf|title=IMO Meteor Shower Calendar|publisher=International Meteor Organization}}</ref> (15 CET/9 EST) ||
|-
| align="center" | 2017 ||  ||Jan. 3 at 15 UT <ref>{{Cite web|url=http://earthsky.org/tonight/quadrantid-meteor-shower-before-dawn-in-early-january|title=Quadrantid meteors on January 3 or 4|date=2 January 2020}}</ref> (16 CET/10 EST) ||
|-
| align="center" | 2018 ||  ||Jan. 3 at 19 UT <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.timeanddate.com/astronomy/meteor-shower/quadrantids.html|title=When and Where to See the Quadrantids in 2018}}</ref> (20 CET/14 EST) ||
|-
| align="center" | 2019 ||  ||Jan. 4 at 2 UT <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://earthsky.org/?p=155137|title=Dark Skies for 2019 Quadrantid meteors|  last=McClure|first=Bruce|website= Earthsky|access-date= 2018-11-16}}</ref> (21 EST on Jan. 3) ||
|-
| align="center" | 2020 ||  ||Jan. 4 at 4 UT <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bashewa.com/wxmeteor-showers.php?shower=Quadrantids&year=2020|title=Quadrantids Meteor Shower 2020| website=Bashewa|publisher=Bronberg Weather Station|access-date= 2019-12-30}}</ref> (23 EST on Jan. 3) ||
|-
| align="center" | 2021 ||  || ||
|-
| align="center" | 2022 ||  || ||
|-
| align="center" | 2023 ||  || ||
|-
| align="center" | 2024 ||  ||Jan. 4 at 9 - 15 UT <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://spaceweather.com/archive.php?day=04&month=01&year=2024&view=view|title=What's up in space| website=Spaceweather.com| access-date= 2024-12-30}}</ref> ||
|-
| align="center" | 2025 ||  ||Jan. 3 at 15 UT <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://imo.net/files/meteor-shower/cal2025.pdf|title=2025 Meteor Shower Calendar|website=imo.net|publisher=International Meteor Organization|access-date=2024-12-30}}</ref> ||
|}

== See also ==
* [[(196256) 2003 EH1]]
* [[Qingyang event]]
* [[List of meteor showers]]
* [[Meteor shower]]s

== References ==
{{Reflist|30em|refs=

<ref name=moore_rees2011>{{citation | first1=Patrick | last1=Moore | first2=Robin | last2=Rees | title=Patrick Moore's Data Book of Astronomy | edition=2nd | publisher=[[Cambridge University Press]] | date=2011 | isbn=978-0521899352 | page=275 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2FNfjWKBZx8C&pg=PA275 | postscript=. }}</ref>

<ref name=jrasc47_237>{{citation | last1=Millman | first1=Peter M. | last2=McKinley | first2=D. W. R. | title=The Quadrantid Meteor Shower | journal=Journal of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada | volume=47 | page=237 |date=December 1953 | bibcode=1953JRASC..47..237M | postscript=. }}</ref>

<ref name="sjaa">{{cite web
  |date=Dec 8, 2003
  |title=2003 EH1 is the Quadrantid shower parent comet
  |publisher=The Ephemeris (San Jose Astronomical Association newsletter)
  |author=Peter Jenniskens
  |author-link=Peter Jenniskens
  |url=http://ephemeris.sjaa.net/0401/e.html
  |access-date=2004-12-17}}</ref>

<ref name=Jenniskens2004>{{cite journal
  |last=Jenniskens |first=Peter
  |author-link=Peter Jenniskens
  |title=2003 EH1 Is the Quadrantid Shower Parent Comet
  |journal=The Astronomical Journal
  |volume=127 |issue=5 |pages=3018–3022 |date=2004
  |doi=10.1086/383213
  |bibcode=2004AJ....127.3018J|doi-access=free
  }}</ref>

<ref name="Meteorwatch">{{cite web
  |date=2012-12-26
  |title=Quadrantid meteor shower
  |publisher=NASA Meteor Watch on Facebook
  |url=https://www.facebook.com/NasaMeteorWatch/posts/459549254104306
   |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/facebook/335587379833828/459549254104306 |archive-date=2022-02-26 |url-access=limited|access-date=2012-12-29}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

}}

== External links ==
{{External links|date=January 2016}}
* [http://www.nasa.gov/topics/solarsystem/features/watchtheskies/quadrantids_2013.html Quadrantids Create Year's First Meteor Shower] (NASA 01.02.12)
* [http://www.imo.net/calendar/2009#qua International Meteor Organization 2010 Meteor Shower Calendar ]
* [http://quadrantid.seti.org NASA Quadrantid Airborne Campaign]
*{{APOD |date=7 January 2008|title=Quadrantid Meteors and Aurora from the Air}}
*{{APOD |date=5 January 2009|title=Comet and Meteor}}

{{Meteor showers}}

[[Category:Meteor showers]]
[[Category:Boötes]]
[[Category:January]]
[[Category:1830s in science]]
[[Category:December]]