First Supermoon of 2026 to align with stunning meteor shower this weekend
It is anticipated that the arrival of 2026’s initial Supermoon will align with a spectacular meteor shower this coming weekend. The American Meteor Society has disclosed that the Quadrantid meteor shower is expected to reach its peak from Friday night through Saturday morning. While typically offering a display of around 25 meteors per hour, this time, the rate is projected to drop to under 10 meteors per hour due to the presence of Saturday’s supermoon.
Mike Shanahan, the planetarium director at Liberty Science Center in New Jersey, has pointed out that a significant obstacle to fully reveling in a meteor shower is the luminosity of a full moon. Supermoons refer to instances when the moon, in its full or new phase, appears notably larger and radiant than usual due to its proximity to Earth in its orbit. However, detecting this disparity with the naked eye may prove to be a challenging task.
Meteor showers constitute the occurrence of multiple meteoroids penetrating Earth’s atmosphere. As per NASA, the rocks’ friction with the surrounding air culminates in a striking visual display, resembling a “shooting star.” This friction induces the rocks to emit a scorching glow as they hurtle through the atmosphere.
The Quadrantid meteor shower, named after a constellation that has since lost its astronomical recognition, is renowned for its impressive visibility. Occurring in January, this shower has a relatively brief time frame during which observers can witness it—while it typically lasts only a few hours, most meteor showers sustain a peak period spanning two days.
Prime viewing of the Quadrantids is recommended for those located in the Northern Hemisphere during nocturnal and predawn hours. Optimal observation conditions entail being situated in a location devoid of city lights or other sources of artificial illumination. NASA further advises spectators to recline on their backs with their feet facing northeast, thereby affording the best view of the night sky. Within 30 minutes, the human eye can sufficiently adjust to the darkness, enabling clearer views of the meteor shower.
The American Meteor Society’s fireball report coordinator, Robert Lunsford, has forecasted that the Quadrantids will reach their peak activity window between 4 and 7 p.m. on Saturday, with the most opportune viewing time falling between midnight and dawn on Sunday. Subsequently, April will likely witness the arrival of the next substantial meteor shower, known as the Lyrids.