Quadrantids 2027 · peak in 52 nights
Quadrantids 2027: peak night 3–4 Jan.
The Quadrantids can rival the Geminids, but only for a few hours. Their radiant, in northern Boötes, never sets from the UK, so the hours before dawn are best. The Quadrantids are active from 28 Dec to 12 Jan, peaking on the night of Sunday 3 January. The Moon will be 13% lit and won’t get in the way much.
A short, sharp peak lasting a few hours. The AMS predicts the 2027 maximum near 03:30 UT on 4 Jan, which favours Europe. Best in the hours before dawn.
Peak night, town by town
| Town | Look up after | Radiant highest | Moon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lerwick | 00:36 | 07:11 (75°) | not a problem |
| Kirkwall | 00:53 | 07:13 (75°) | rises 07:05 |
| Inverness | 01:10 | 07:15 (75°) | rises 06:51 |
| Aberdeen | 01:04 | 07:04 (75°) | rises 06:39 |
| Edinburgh | 01:16 | 07:06 (75°) | rises 06:31 |
| Glasgow | 01:21 | 07:11 (75°) | rises 06:35 |
| Belfast | 01:35 | 07:10 (74°) | rises 06:31 |
| Newcastle upon Tyne | 01:16 | 06:56 (75°) | rises 06:16 |
| York | 01:25 | 06:50 (74°) | rises 06:05 |
| Manchester | 01:32 | 06:52 (74°) | rises 06:06 |
| Birmingham | 01:36 | 06:51 (74°) | rises 05:57 |
| Norwich | 01:22 | 06:37 (74°) | rises 05:45 |
| Cardiff | 01:46 | 06:51 (73°) | rises 05:56 |
| London | 01:34 | 06:39 (73°) | rises 05:43 |
| Brighton | 01:37 | 06:37 (73°) | rises 05:39 |
| Plymouth | 01:55 | 06:55 (73°) | rises 05:52 |
UK time. “Look up after” is when the sky is dark and the radiant is 30° up. “Radiant highest” is the best single moment before dawn. A cloud forecast for each town appears here about a week before the peak. Not listed? Search your town or postcode.
How many could you see?
Worked out for London’s sky at the best moment on the peak night (radiant 73° up), if the shower is at full strength then. These are best cases: haze, cloud, a less-than-perfect view and timing away from the peak all bring the numbers down.
Uses the International Meteor Organization’s formula: rate = ZHR × sin(radiant height) ÷ 2.1(6.5 − faintest star you can see), with faintest stars of magnitude 6.5, 5.5 and 4.5. Getting away from streetlights makes the biggest difference.
Questions
What time should I look for the Quadrantids tonight?
Once it’s properly dark and the radiant (the point the meteors seem to come from) is well up. The table gives that time for each town. Rates usually climb through the night as the radiant gets higher, so the hours before dawn are often best, but any time after the “look up after” time is good.
How many Quadrantids will I see?
The “up to about 80 an hour” figure assumes a perfectly dark sky with the radiant overhead. Under real skies it’s far fewer: see the “how many” box above, worked out for London’s sky on the peak night. Moonlight and haze cut the numbers too.
Do I need a telescope or binoculars?
No. Meteors are fast and spread across the sky, so your eyes are the best tool. Lie back, look at a wide patch of sky and give your eyes 20 minutes to adjust. Keep your phone screen dim, and wrap up warm.
Which direction should I look?
Anywhere. Meteors appear all over the sky. Looking about halfway up, a little away from the radiant, often shows longer trails.
Will clouds spoil it?
They might. About a week before the peak this page starts showing the cloud forecast for each town on the peak night, and the card for your town shows tonight’s hour-by-hour cloud.