Quadrantid meteor shower 2020: 7 must-see photos captured by skygazers

Stock photo of a meteor shower.

Credit: Pat Gaines / Moment / Getty Images

Credit: Pat Gaines / Moment / Getty Images

Stock photo of a meteor shower.
Nation & World
By Michelle Ewing, Cox Media Group National Content Desk
Jan 5, 2020
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The annual Quadrantid meteor shower brightened the night sky over the weekend, offering stunning light displays.

Skygazers flocked to social media to share their photos. Here are some of our favorites:

1. San Benito County, California

Photo by @ziqing_mao, Instagram

2. Hanle Monastery, India

Photo by dorje_nyrchung, Instagram  

View this post on Instagram

FIRST METEOR SHOWER OF THE DECADE Most meteor shower are named after the constellations from which they appear to radiate, but the Quadrantids is named after a constellation that no longer exits except in memory and the shower's name. In 2003, astronomer Peter Jenniskens tentatively identified the parent body of the Quadrantids as the asteroid 2003 EH1. The 2020 Quadrantids meteor shower peaked Friday night and early Saturday. The conditions was 60% illuminated waxing moon setting around midnight and the possibility of viewing the shower during early peak dark hours was maximum. But then the shower period was marred by passing cirrus clouds due to western disturbance and the lone camera battling cold conditions and harsh windy weather could manage to capture 18 (out of 1200 images)of them. Hanle Monastary and the direction of the river just stood perfect during the moonlit hours for providing a fantastic and beautiful foreground towards north-east direction where the shower was most radiant. Sony a7sII with Sigma 20mm on a sturdy tripod was doing the toughest work in a condition where the maximum temperature was -8.7 deg C and minimum temperature was -16.4 deg C Exposure 20s@f/1.4 #meteor #meteorshower #quadrantids #hanle #ladakh #incredibleladakh #incredibleindia #astrophotography #frozenriver #nightscaper #nightscrapers #bigdipper #astronomypicturesdaily

A post shared by Dorje Angchuk (@dorje_nyrchung) on

3. Mina De São Domingos, Beja, Portugal

Photo by @zarcospalma, Instagram

4. Sebastian Inlet State Park, FloridaPhoto by @darylgilbertphotography, Instagram

5. Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge, ArizonaPhoto by @mikaljakubal, Instagram

6. El Paso County, ColoradoPhoto by @candyscaptures, Instagram

View this post on Instagram

Quadrantids Meteor Shower 2020! What a great night of photography with my good friend @divine.exposure ! . . @larsleberphotography decided to meet @digitalartco_photo and @ishmynunu at @greatsanddunesnps . I was invited but I wasn't up for the -10 (and below) temps! So instead Jess and I decided to take a girls photo trip out east to Ramah State Wildlife Area to photograph the Quadrantids Meteor Shower. It was such a super clear and beautiful night out! I couldn't ask for better conditions! 😍 Please feel free to like, share, or comment on any of my photos. Thank you for liking Candy's Captures and joining me on all my travels and adventures! #outtherecolorado #naturalcolorado #womenwhohike #coloradical #candyscaptures #ramahstatewildlifearea #colorado #coloradosprings #visitcos #visitpikespeak #sonya6300 #natureperfection #nightscaper #allbeauty_addiction #longexpo_addiction #colorado_travel #coloradolive #coloradolife #onlyincoloradousa #look303 #quadrantids #amongthewild #wildandco #ig_shotz_trees #colorado_creative #coloradotography #nightphotography #longexposure #nightphotography_exclusive #quadrantidsmeteorshower2020

A post shared by 📸 Candayce Abney 📸 (@candyscaptures) on

7. BruneiPhoto by @pix.jameswk, Instagram

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About the Author

Michelle Ewing, Cox Media Group National Content Desk