Watch Up To 100 Meteors Per Hour In The First Meteor Shower Of 2020 Visible From Hawaii

From the Milky Way as seen from the summit of Hawaii’s tallest mountains to this week’s upcoming meteor shower, we are obsessed with the night sky above the Hawaiian Islands. The sky above the Hawaiian Islands will be particularly ablaze this week: first, with the massive amounts of fireworks set off across the islands for New Year’s Eve, and second, with the annual Quadrantid meteor shower that takes place this weekend.

Whether you’re an astronomy enthusiast or simply appreciate a romantic and free date night with your significant other, you won’t want to miss this epic nighttime event that will be visible across the northern hemisphere.

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Though often considered to be one of the strongest displays of the year, the Quadrantids are difficult to observe, mainly because the display of strong activity only has a duration of approximately six hours.

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Unlike many meteor showers that originate from comets, the Quadrantids originate from an asteroid — 2003-EH1 — thought to have spun off from a comet that was lost way back in the 15th century.

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Mark your calendar and set your alarms for January 3, 2020. The meteor shower is expected to peak on the 3rd at 10:20 p.m. HST, with stellar viewing continuing into the early morning hours of January 4, after the moon sets around 1:30 a.m. on the 4th. All in all, it’s suggested to be outside between 2 a.m. and 5:30 a.m. for the darkest viewing conditions.

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Grab a blanket, pillow, and some picnic supplies and head to an area with little light pollution. Depending on which island you call home, there are countless places to experience the beauty of the night sky for yourself.

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Weather permitting, of course, the Quadrantid meteor shower is easy to spot: just look up and search for the Big Dipper. Try not to blink: many rural communities have been known to see more than 100 meteors in a single hour during this celestial display.

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If you miss the Quadrantid meteor shower, you’ll have to wait until April 21, 2020, for the Lyrids meteor shower. In the meantime, you can always go stargazing at the summit of Mount Haleakala, pictured below.

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Will you be watching this epic meteor shower? If you love stargazing as much as we do, you live in the right place. Not only are the stars as seen above Mauna Kea absolutely awe-inspiring, but you can enjoy the night sky without ever leaving your hotel at the Hyatt Regency Maui.