Catch the Eta Aquariids Peak Monday Night: See 'Shooting Stars' from Halley’s Comet!

The yearly Eta Aquariid meteor shower, also referred to as the Eta Aquariids or simply Eta Aquarids, will reach its climax on Monday and Tuesday (May 5-6). This presents an opportunity for stargazers to observe "falling stars" in the evening sky.

With the capability of reaching up to 60 meteors Per hour, it remains quite thrilling for individuals who enjoy dark and unobstructed views of the sky; however, your geographical position will significantly impact your viewing experience. Despite this, the meteor shower boasts a wide peak period, making it feasible to spot meteors in the evenings leading up to and following the main event.

According to EarthSky Viewers in the Southern Hemisphere and further south within the Northern Hemisphere, including places like the southern US states, will have the clearest view. This is due to the fact that the Eta Aquariids seem to originate from the constellation Aquarius, which appears higher in the sky when viewed from more southerly latitudes at this time of year. Astronomers refer to this origin point as the radiant point, specifically pinpointing the star Eta Aquarii for these meteor showers. Time and Date .

Up to 60 meteors can streak across the sky each hour at their peak, making the Eta Aquariids a robust meteor shower, though this spectacle is best observed from tropical regions and areas below the equator. As noted by various sources, American Meteor Society Between 10 and 30 meteors per hour are anticipated just before sunrise for observers located above the equator.

Related: How to capture images of a meteor shower

The glow of the moon significantly influences the visibility of dim meteors. On May 6, when a 63% illuminated waxing gibbous moon sets during late night, the period just before dawn becomes ideal for observing meteor showers. Note that this month’s full “Flower Moon” appears on the 12th.

From the northern U.S., Canada and Europe, the radiant will remain low on the horizon, limiting the number of visible meteors. Although that means fewer meteors, they may be seen as "Earthgrazers," — meteors with long trails behind them that seem to skim the horizon, according to NASA .

The Eta Aquariids happen when Earth passes through dust and debris left behind in the inner solar system by Halley's Comet As our planet travels through this stream of cosmic debris, these minuscule particles collide with the atmosphere at approximately 40.7 miles per second (65.4 kilometers per second), as reported by the American Meteor Society. The Orionid meteor shower, linked to Halley's Comet that passed near Earth in 1986 and will do so again in 2061, is expected to reach its peak during the night of October 20-21 this year.

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