A Supermoon Is About to Crash January’s Meteor Shower

The night sky is starting the new year with a double feature, but one part of the show may outshine the other.

January’s first meteor shower, the Quadrantids, peaks late Friday night into early Saturday morning. At the same time, a bright supermoon will be glowing overhead. That extra moonlight could make it harder to spot shooting stars, especially if you are watching from an area with city lights nearby.

Under the best conditions, skywatchers can sometimes see around 25 meteors per hour during the Quadrantids. This year, the supermoon may cut that number down to fewer than 10 per hour, depending on where you live and how dark your viewing spot is.

Why the Supermoon Makes Meteors Harder to See

A full moon is always one of the biggest challenges for meteor viewing. A supermoon takes that problem up another notch.