A meteor shower – with the potential for as many as 100 shooting stars every hour – will peak this week.
The Quadrantids began in late December but has been saving its best display for the new year.
And with the right conditions ,the first meteor shower of 2024 could bring tens of meteors every hour in colourful shades of blue white and yellow.
Experts predict that Wednesday evening, January 3, and overnight into Thursday morning might be the ideal time to catch the best of the display.
The peak is expected to last for around six hours – albeit there is always some chance of catching the meteors either side of this date, should weather conditions not prove favourable this evening.
Meteors are pieces of debris from comets or asteroids, which burn up when they enter the Earth’s atmosphere at vast speeds.
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The Quadrantid meteors, in their varying colours, will have very fine trains says the Royal Observatory Greenwich.
A cold night is forecast by the Met Office, so anyone heading out may need to wrap up warm.
Picking an expanse of sky, as far away from any light pollution as possible, will also help encourage the best views of the meteors.
Dr. Thomas Hughes is a UK-based scientist and science communicator who makes complex topics accessible to readers. His articles explore breakthroughs in various scientific disciplines, from space exploration to cutting-edge research.
