Quadrantid Meteor Shower — Mauna Kea Observatory

About this spectacle

High above the Pacific on the summit of Mauna Kea, the Quadrantid meteor shower offers one of the planet's most extraordinary celestial experiences. At nearly 4,200 metres elevation, the air is thin, dry, and remarkably transparent, placing observers above most of Earth's atmospheric interference. In early January, the Quadrantids can produce brief but intense bursts of meteors radiating from the constellation Boötes — occasionally exceeding 100 meteors per hour at peak. The summit is bitterly cold at night, and the altitude demands acclimatisation, but the reward is a sky so dark and star-dense that the Milky Way casts a faint shadow. Visitors watch meteors streak silently overhead against a backdrop of world-class observatory domes, with the cloud layer glowing softly far below.

When to go

Jan — Dec, peak Jan

Getting there

Nearest airport: KOA. Nearest city: Hilo.

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