Oman will witness the Quadrantid meteor shower today

MUSCAT: Get ready for a cosmic tableau combining the stillness of the stars with the rapid movement of the meteors.
The skies of the Sultanate of Oman will witness the Quadrantid meteor shower on Saturday evening and the dawn of the day after.
Wisal bint Salem al Hinaiyah, Vice President of the Community Outreach Committee at the Oman Astronomical Society, said that the Quadrantid meteor shower lasts only a few hours. Up to 120 meteors per hour can be seen under ideal viewing conditions.
She said that the source of the Quadrantid meteor shower is the celestial object known as 2003 EH1, a small near-Earth object classified as an asteroid. Its dynamic characteristics suggest it is the remnant of an ancient comet that has lost its activity over time.
She added that this object was discovered in 2003 and is characterised by a highly elliptical orbit around the Sun, taking approximately 5.5 years to complete one orbit. This exposes it to significant temperature variations during its orbit.
She further explained that the particles associated with the Quadrantid meteor shower are denser and more solid than the remnants of many active comets. This explains the apparent brightness of these meteors and the short duration of their peak, due to the narrow and concentrated dust stream associated with them.
She noted that the Quadrantid meteor shower is characterised by its high speed and striking brightness, often appearing in bluish-white hues. Some meteors may leave short-lived smoky trails that last for a few seconds before dissipating.
Al Hinai explained that the radiant of the Quadrantid shower is located astronomically near the constellation Boötes and its peak light gradually rises throughout the night, reaching its highest point just before dawn. This makes the period from midnight until sunrise the most suitable time for observing it.
She added that the peak of the Quadrantid meteor shower this year coincides with a full moon, which results in a brighter sky during the night. This can limit the ability to spot fainter meteors, as the moon's intense light reduces the contrast between the meteors and the background sky, making only the brightest meteors visible to the naked eye.
Despite this, she emphasised that the possibility of observing several Quadrantid meteor showers remains, especially the bright meteors with long trails, with relatively better viewing conditions when the moon is low on the horizon or when choosing viewing angles far from its position in the sky.
She pointed out that the Quadrantid meteor shower is one of the astronomical phenomena that can be observed with the naked eye without the need for special equipment, provided that a location away from light pollution is chosen and sufficient time is allowed for the eyes to adapt to the darkness, while looking at the wide expanse of the sky rather than focusing on a specific point of radiance.
Al Hinai said the shower coincides with the appearance of a number of bright winter stars that adorn the Oman skies during this period, in addition to the possibility of observing some planets that vary in colour and brightness, adding an extra aesthetic dimension to the observation and contemplation experience. — ONA