Catch the Eta Aquarid Meteor Shower on May 6: See Halley’s Comet ‘Crumbs’ Light Up the Sky!

Of the ten major annual meteor showers, one of the finest will reach its zenith on Tuesday morning (May 6). The Eta Aquarids stand out as one of the most active, ranking within the top four.

Because the meteors appears to originate from a point in the sky (known as the "radiant") located in the Water Jar constellation. Aquarius constellation — which explains why they're called the "Aquarids" — their visibility primarily benefits potential stargazers located below the equator. For individuals residing in the Southern Hemisphere cities such as Santiago, Johannesburg, Melbourne, and Auckland, the Eta Aquarid radiant rises high into the pre-dawn eastern horizon, making it easier to spot numerous meteors originating from that area. As a matter of fact, many observers in the South regard this shower as the finest meteor display throughout the entire year.

According to the Observer's Handbook From the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, the Eta Aquarids can produce up to 60 meteors per hour, whilst the Meteor Calendar of the International Meteor Organization (IMO) IMO ) suggests rates of approximately 50 per hour.

However, observers from more northern locations have less favourable viewing conditions. Since the meteors seem to originate near the eastern horizon for those situated midway between the equator and the North Pole, even under ideal circumstances, one could expect to see anywhere from as few as 10 up to possibly 20 meteors each hour.

Furthermore, this year you will need to consider a vibrant moon that is only two days past its first quarter phase. waxing gibbous , with 64% illumination), won’t set until shortly after 3:00 a.m. local daylight time, providing roughly one hour of relatively dark skies for early morning observations of this shower before the progressively brighter dawn twilight renders observation difficult.

So, one may wonder, "What’s the purpose of rising before sunrise just for this?" The response is that you could potentially witness something truly remarkable.

More on that in a moment.

Halley's "comet crumbs"

The Eta Aquarids have a most interesting lineage. Unlike some of the other annual meteor showers With a heritage stretching back numerous centuries, the Eta Aquarids only gained official recognition during the latter part of the 19th century. In 1870, whilst navigating the Mediterranean Sea, Lieutenant Colonel G.L. Tupman observed 15 meteors early on the morning of April 30, followed by an additional 13 meteors a few days thereafter. Every meteor spotted by Tupman seemed to originate from the Aquarius constellation, also known as the Water Bearer.

In 1876, Professor Alexander Stewart Herschel noted that the trajectory of Halley's Comet appeared almost simultaneous with Earth's orbit around May 4, and should we come across any comet debris at that time capable of generating meteors, these luminous trails would seem to originate near the constellation Aquarius.

Herschel quickly observed that Tupman's findings closely matched his predictions. Over subsequent years, an escalating number of additional astronomers and observers likewise noticed parallels between the trajectories of Halley’s Comet and the meteor shower appearing in early May, which seemed to originate from the constellation Aquarius.

Cosmic litterbug

Approximately every 75 years when it comes nearest to the sun , Halley leaves behind a "trail of debris" as it moves along its orbital path. While you're reading this, the comet is situated at a distance of 3.28 billion miles (5.29 billion kilometers) away from both our planet and the Sun. The previous passage was written when Halley passed through the inner solar system. was in 1986 (it’s scheduled to return) during the summer of 2061 It has orbited the Sun numerous times over the centuries, each revolution shedding a stream of dust and particles akin to cigar ash or copier toner in their composition and feel. Astronomers think this debris traces back almost five billion years to the formation of our solar system. This ancient material crosses paths with Earth’s orbit annually around early May.

The fragments that chipped away from its potato-like core during earlier solar approaches reached approximately 62 miles (100 km) over our heads in early May, generating the Eta Aquarid meteor shower as they did so. As Earth crosses paths with this trail of debris, these cometary particles zip through space at high speeds. Earth's atmosphere At high velocities: 41 miles (66km) each second, resulting in the meteoroid phenomenon.

The substance that the comet sheds into The News Pulse actually crosses paths with our orbit. at two places. As it moves towards the Sun during its inward journey, it generates the Orionid meteor shower around late October. Conversely, the debris ejected once the comet has passed perihelion and starts moving away from the Sun contributes to the Eta Aquarids.

The most luminous Eta Aquarid meteors produce prolonged trails. However, as they are moving away from us along their orbital paths, these meteors primarily reach Earth during daytime hours. Consequently, the period for night sky viewing is brief and happens shortly before sunrise.

Skimming the atmosphere

Previously, we recommended that despite suboptimal viewing conditions for the Eta Aquarids in the Northern Hemisphere, you should still try to observe them during the brief "opportunity window" from 3 to 4 a.m. on May 6th. The reason being:

For many people, the finest chance to spot the Eta Aquarids might be if they manage to see one of these meteors grazing Earth’s atmosphere horizontally – akin to how a flat stone skips over the surface of a lake or pond.

Diligent meteor watchers call such meteors isso "Earthgrazers," And they tend to create quite vibrant and enduring streaks. These meteors also seem to traverse the sky along exceptionally lengthy trajectories.

Sadly, such occurrences are quite rare. However, spotting even a single instance can justify all your effort. Should the sky be overcast on Tuesday morning, keep in mind that the shower remains active for several days prior and following the peak, although the number of meteors typically observed tends to be only half to a quarter of those seen during the peak period.

Lie back in a long deckchair facing directly south. Shift your gaze continually without focusing too much on one area... scan everything around you. Should you catch sight of a shooting star with a tail, remember this: what you're witnessing could very well be the glowing trail left behind by debris originating from the core of Halley’s Comet; after all, the comet won’t return for many years yet. However, spotting an Eta Aquarid meteor means you’ve had a private meeting with remnants of a renowned interstellar voyager hailing from the far reaches of space as described in The News Pulse—a glimpse perhaps into the cosmic beginnings.

Joe Rao acts as both an educator and visiting speaker at New York's Hayden Planetarium . He composes pieces on astronomy for Natural History magazine , Sky and Telescope and other publications.

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