2024’s first meteor shower set to light up the sky tonight

Keep your eyes peeled

The first meteor shower of the year is set to peak tonight and you certainly won't want to miss it.

The meteor shower up above us this evening is the Quadrantid Meteor Shower which runs from December 28 til January 12, however it'll reach its peak tonight.

The incredibly strong shower can produce around 110 shooting stars every single hour.

Meteors are pieces of debris from comets and asteroids which enter the Earth's atmosphere at unbelievable speeds of up to 43 miles per second.

As they enter the Earth's atmosphere they are instantly vaporised and cause amazing streaks of light in the night sky.

The peak of the Quadrantids will last for around six hours between late night tonight and dawn tomorrow morning.

Royal Museums Greenwich have said that to stand a good chance of watching the spectacle this evening you should head to a wide open space with little light pollution around midnight tonight.

They said: "Hunting for meteors, like the rest of astronomy, is a waiting game, so it's best to bring a comfy chair to sit on and to wrap up warm as you could be outside for a while.

"They can be seen with the naked eye so there's no need for binoculars or a telescope, though you will need to allow your eyes to adjust to the dark for at least 15 minutes beforehand."

And now for the bad news.

Unfortunately the peak will coincide with the Moon's Last Quarter phase which means moonlight will likely cause some interference in viewing the meteors.

The Met Office has also forecasted a chilly evening for most of the UK so you'll want to be wrapping up warm if you're heading out to see them.

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