Baku: In early January, an astronomical event, the Quadrantids meteor shower, will be visible, as informed by the Department of Astrophysics at the Faculty of Physics of Baku State University (BSU) to APA. Although the meteor shower is active from December 12 to January 12, peak activity is anticipated on the night of January 4, around 03:00.

According to Azeri-Press News Agency, the meteor shower can be observed in Baku during the night and toward dawn, with the most favorable viewing time near dawn when the shower's radiant reaches its highest point in the sky. During peak activity, observers might witness up to 120 meteors per hour, though real observing conditions in Baku may yield approximately 100 to 113 meteors per hour. This year, on the day of maximum activity, the Moon will be nearly in the full Moon phase, which might hinder observations. Despite the moonlight making faint meteors difficult to see, brighter meteors will still be observable.

Unlike other classic meteor showers, the Quadrantids originate from an asteroid-like object, (196256) 2003 EH1, rather than a comet. This asteroid completes an orbit around the Sun approximately every 5.5 years and is believed to have once been an active comet that fragmented over time. Each early January, as Earth traverses a stream of dust and rocky debris left along this object's orbit, Quadrantid meteors are generated.

The meteors enter Earth's atmosphere at around 41 kilometers per second, creating bright light trails. The Quadrantids are regarded as short-lived but are among the most intense meteor showers of the year, the statement noted.