When it comes to viewing the heavens above, Utah is one of the best places in the country. With 15 International Dark Sky Parks and Communities, you can see millions of stars, get a great view of the Milky Way, and catch stellar views of meteor showers. The first meteor shower of 2020 is happening soon, and you won’t want to miss it.
Find some caffeine on the evening of January 3rd, 2020 so you can stay up into the wee hours of the morning. The Quadrantids Meteor Shower will peak at 1:20 a.m. on January 4th.
Adventure_Photo/E+/via Getty Images The Quadrantids aren’t as well known as the Perseids or Geminids, and these meteors are actually different. While most meteors come from comets, the Quadrantids come from an asteroid.
The Quadrantids were first documented in 1825, and they’re kind of tricky to view.
wisanuboonrawd/iStock/via Getty Images The meteors are typically only visible for about six hours, and in Utah the meteors will be low in the sky. Luckily, the moon shouldn’t interfere with visibility, as it will only be 60 percent full.
As long as the skies are clear, we should still be able to witness this spectacle. In fact, during the peak of the shower, we might see as many as 100 meteors per hour!
William Attard McCarthy-McCarthy’s PhotoWorks/Moment Collection/via Getty Images Some of the meteors might appear as bright blue trails across the sky, and if you’re lucky, you might even spot a fireball.
To view the Quadrantids, first find the Big Dipper. The radiant of the meteors will appear under the handle of the constellation.
By EarthSky Communications, Inc./Wikimedia You’ll want to set yourself up to view the meteor shower at around midnight, and plan to keep watching until around 2 a.m. to see the most meteors.
City dwellers will have a hard time seeing the Quadrantids, due to light pollution. To get the best views, head to one of Utah’s Dark Sky Parks.
NatChittamai/iStock/via Getty Images
Arches National Park is an International Dark Sky Park, and it’s just one of many.
Aaron Huang/500px Prime/via Getty Images Other parks include Canyonlands National Park, Capitol Reef National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, Natural Bridges National Monument, Hovenweep National Monument, Rainbow Bridge National Monument, Cedar Breaks National Monument, Dinosaur National Monument, Dead Horse Point State Park, Goblin Valley State Park, Antelope Island State Park, Steinaker State Park, North Fork Park of Ogden Valley, and the town of Torrey.
Do you plan to view the Quadrantids Meteor Shower? Tag the people you want to join you!
Adventure_Photo/E+/via Getty Images
The Quadrantids aren’t as well known as the Perseids or Geminids, and these meteors are actually different. While most meteors come from comets, the Quadrantids come from an asteroid.
wisanuboonrawd/iStock/via Getty Images
The meteors are typically only visible for about six hours, and in Utah the meteors will be low in the sky. Luckily, the moon shouldn’t interfere with visibility, as it will only be 60 percent full.
William Attard McCarthy-McCarthy’s PhotoWorks/Moment Collection/via Getty Images
Some of the meteors might appear as bright blue trails across the sky, and if you’re lucky, you might even spot a fireball.
By EarthSky Communications, Inc./Wikimedia
You’ll want to set yourself up to view the meteor shower at around midnight, and plan to keep watching until around 2 a.m. to see the most meteors.
NatChittamai/iStock/via Getty Images
Aaron Huang/500px Prime/via Getty Images
Other parks include Canyonlands National Park, Capitol Reef National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, Natural Bridges National Monument, Hovenweep National Monument, Rainbow Bridge National Monument, Cedar Breaks National Monument, Dinosaur National Monument, Dead Horse Point State Park, Goblin Valley State Park, Antelope Island State Park, Steinaker State Park, North Fork Park of Ogden Valley, and the town of Torrey.
If you’re looking for a few suggestions for places to view the meteor shower, take a look at this little town that’s one of the darkest places in the nation.
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Address: Utah, USA
