NBC's Brian Williams reports on the dazzling Quadrantid meteor
shower. By Tariq Malik Managing editor, Space.com A dazzling
display of "shooting stars" kicked off the 2012 skywatching
season early Wednesday, thrilling amateur astronomers around the
world with views of the Quadrantid meteor shower. Usually one of
the most dependable meteor displays of the year, the Quadrantid
meteor shower peaked at about 2:30 a.m. ET in a brief but eye-
catching light show. Quadrantid meteors are the leftover crumbs
of a shattered comet that broke apart centuries ago, NASA
scientists say. To mark the meteor shower, Space.com invited
readers to send in their photos of the event, and you answered
in spades. From light-polluted cities to remote islands,
skywatchers reported spotting some dazzling views of Quadrantid
meteors. This long-exposure photo by Roberto Porto shows the
bright arcs of star trails and a bright Quadrantid meteor in the
predawn sky over Tenerife in Spain's Canary Islands. Veterinary
surgeon Roberto Porto photo