Sky watchers and meteor enthusiasts should look out for the Quadrantid meteor shower, which will be unobscured by the moon and most visible in the night sky this weekend.

The meteor shower, which began on Dec. 26, will peak Friday. Within the U.S., Hawaii and other U.S. territories in the Pacific offer the best chance to see the Quadrantids at their peak.

At its peak, about 20 to 30 meteors from the Quadrantids will be visible per hour, provided that the sky is clear and dark, NASA said on its website.

The Quadrantids are unique, NASA said, in that they originate from the asteroid 2003 EH1, which orbits the sun once every 5.52 years, as opposed to a comet. It is possible that the asteroid could be a dead or “rock comet,” lacking in the ice and gases that produce a visible tail effect.

The meteor shower is known for its bright fireball meteors, which are larger and last longer because they are originating from a larger piece of space debris, according to NASA.

• Brad Matthews can be reached at bmatthews@washingtontimes.com.