Quadrantids Meteor Shower

One of the best showers in 2012. Peaking in the wee morning hours of Jan. 4, the Quadrantids have a maximum rate of about 100 per hour, varying between 60-200. For many locales, the waxing gibbous moonwill set leaving about two hours of excellent meteor observing before dawn. Unlike the more famous Perseid and Geminid meteor showers, the Quadrantids only last a few hours -- it's the morning of Jan. 4, or nothing.