The Quadrantid meteor shower already started, but it will peak tonight.

The shower will peak during the early morning of Jan. 4 at around 3 a.m. and will have a maximum rate of about 100 per hour, that vary between around 60-200 meteors, according to NASA.

The Quadrantids started to be visible on Jan. 1 and will continue to been seen over the next few nights.

The meteor shower is a stream of rocky particles left in the wake of an asteroid known as 2003 EH1. The asteroid trails debris behind it as it travels across the sky, and in January of each year, the Earth passes through that debris trail. Thousands of tiny particles as small as grains of sand fall into our atmosphere and burn up as they descend, causing the bright streaks known as shooting stars.

This year the moon is in its bright gibbous phase which means the light show may not be as glamorous as previous years.

British meteor expert Alastair McBeath was quoted by MSNBC about the impeding moonlight: "The waning gibbous moon causes severe problems for detailed observations of the Quadrantid maximum in 2013."

Star gazers should look toward the northeast to find the Big Dipper for the best observation of the Quadrantid meteor shower as they will be viewable above the handle of the constellation.

The best viewing spots will be for viewers in the northern hemisphere. It is also recommended to move out of the vicinity of bright city lights as well as to find areas with little cloud cover that can impede proper viewing of the celestial event.

The meteor shower was first seen in 1825 and derives its name from the extinct constellation of Quadrans Muralis.

The Quadrantid shower is known for giving a very bright show, but it can often be missed.

According to Spacedex.com, the Quadrantids meteor shower has one of the highest predicted hourly rates of all the major showers. The shower's high rate can often be too quick for observers looking for a long show.

A live stream will be provided by scientists at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center with images taken from an all-sky camera outside the space center in Huntsville, Ala. The live webcast will begin during Wednesday evening when the Quadrantid meteor shower will reach its peak and continue broadcasting on through Friday.