Sometimes, it's hard to remember that Earth is constantly being bombarded by literally tons of space debris daily. The larger bits form what we know as shooting stars, and most burn up in the atmosphere.

The Quadrantids, the first meteor shower of the New Year, has the potential to be one of the year's best – if the weather cooperates.

The new year starts off with a meteor shower before January's moon cycle begins. Here's what you need to know.

Skywatchers in the Northern Hemisphere are gearing up for one of the most spectacular celestial displays of the year tonight—the Quadrantid meteor shower. The meteor shower has a brief but powerful peak,

The Quadrantids meteor shower is expected to reach maximum activity from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., EST on Friday with the best viewing in Alaska, Hawaii, and eastern Asia.

Early each January, the Quadrantid meteor stream provides one of the most intense annual meteor displays, with a brief, sharp maximum lasting only a few hours. For this reason, many stargazing guides make reference to this display as being particularly elusive.