The first – and potentially the best – meteor shower of 2024 will light up the night sky this week.

The Quadrantids is active from late December to mid-January with the peak coming on Thursday, Jan. 4 at around 6:53 a.m. According to EarthSky, the best viewing time will be from 3:53 a.m. – dawn. Peak viewing time is short but could provide as many as 200 Quadrantid meteors per hour under ideal weather conditions, NASA said.

Quadrantids are also known for their bright fireball that are brighter, more colorful and last longer than the average meteor streak.

Unlike most meteor showers that originate from comets, the Quadrantids from an asteroid – asteroid 2003 EH1. According to NASA, 2003 EH1 takes 5.52 years to orbit the sun and it may be a small “dead comet,” or one that’s lost all its ice and gas and is just a rocky core.

The Quadrantids are produced by leftover particles and bits from 2003 EH1. When those pieces come around the sun, the dust they create spreads into a trail around their orbits, NASA explains. Every year the Earth passes through the debris, allowing bits to collide with the atmosphere where they disintegrate and create fiery and colorful streaks in the sky.

How to view the Quadrantids:

Viewing tips from NASA:

Light pollution is an enemy for viewing meteor showers, so find an area well away from city or street lights. It’s winter so come prepared for the cold temperatures and be ready to lie flat on your back with your feet facing northeast and look up, taking in as much of the sky as possible. In less than 30 minutes in the dark, your eyes will adapt and you will begin to see meteors.

Be patient – the show will last until dawn, so you have plenty of time to catch a glimpse.