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Hundreds of extremely bright, colourful "fireball" meteors set to dazzle Vancouver

Vancouverites saw the dazzling Geminid meteor shower in December; however, locals will get to enjoy the Quadrantid meteor shower in January.

Vancouverites were privy to the dazzling Geminid meteor shower in December; however, locals will get to enjoy the first meteor shower of 2019, the Quadrantid meteor shower, in all its celestial glory right at the start of the new year.

While the astral display doesn't last for as long as some of the other showers, it is no less spectacular for that in reason. In fact, it can be argued that the narrow peak offers an awe-inspiring spectacle that produces some of the brightest and most colourful meteors.

 Silhouette couple under a tree and enjoying Star shower in nights cape / ShutterstockSilhouette couple under a tree and enjoying Star shower in nights cape / Shutterstock

"Despite its short peak, however, the meteor shower is often marked by large "fireball" meteors that look more colorful, appear brighter and last longer than a typical meteor," reports Space.

And just how long will the sparkling show last?

Only for a few hours, however, stargazers can expect to see roughly 120 meteors an hour overnight on January 3 through January 4. What's more, viewers in the Northern hemisphere have a better chance of observing the shower because its radiant point is far north on the sky’s dome.

As a result of their speed, these dazzling meteors leave visible trails. With that being said, stargazers should still opt to travel as far away from city lights as possible in order to avoid light pollution that will obscure the clarity of heavenly bodies. While this works best in more remote places, anywhere that has a higher elevation will also provide more ideal viewing conditions.