Stargazers are in for a treat as London’s night sky is set to be brought to life by ‘one of the biggest’ meteor showers in 12 months. Meteorologists say the shooting stars will be most visible on Friday (January 3) and Saturday (January 4) as the shower continues until January 12.
Some eager stargazers might have already spotted some meteors in the night sky since the cosmic weather event began on Boxing Day. More specifically the meteors are named Quadrantids – a name given to showers which occur in early January.
BBC weather experts say you don’t need any particular equipment to spot the meteors, but patience is needed to allow your eyes to adjust to the darkness. The Met Office is predicting extremely cold conditions tomorrow night (Friday, January 3) as temperatures drop to 0C.
The mercury will drop to 1C the following night, leading to the UK Health Security Agency issuing a warning to vulnerable people ahead of this. That being said, if you wrap up and keep warm there’s no reason you can’t enjoy what Royal Museums Greenwich is calling “one of the strongest and most consistent meteor showers of the year”.
The Quadrantid meteor shower will be easiest to see on Friday (January 3) and Saturday (January 4) night
(Image: Fatih Kurt/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
If you’re sat in a garden chair outside, it should take about 15 to 20 minutes before you’re able to see the cosmic colours. If you angle yourself to look towards two-thirds of the way above the horizon, this is where the atmosphere is thinnest – providing the best view.
At its peak, the BBC says stargazers can expect up to 120 meteors per hour at its peak. The moon sets on both January 3 and 4, meaning less light pollution should make it easier to see the shooting stars.
London is set to enjoy sunny, clear skies on Friday night so this arguably the best time to enjoy views of the meteor showers. On Saturday night forecasters expect heavy rain to hit the city overnight.
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