A luminous display will appear in the sky from Monday to Tuesday as our planet moves through the celestial remnants of Halley’s comet. This phenomenon is known as the Eta Aquarids meteor shower.
third major meteor shower
Throughout the year and remains active from mid-April until late May. The area with the highest concentration of debris, known as the peak, will exhibit the greatest level of activity. This phenomenon occurs worldwide on the evening of May 5 extending into the early hours of May 6.
Although the Aquarid meteor shower typically doesn’t produce the large, bright streaks known as fireballs, they are renowned for their velocity and the luminous paths they create in the heavens. As stated by NASA, these meteors travel at impressive speeds.
40.7 miles every second traversing the heavens
. Light trails can last between several seconds to minutes.
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The Eta Aquarids are a spectacular meteor shower, largely due to their association with Halley’s Comet,
Emily Rice
, an associate professor of astrophysics at Macaulay Honors College, shared with Vmeetsolutions News.
Halley’s comet
One of the most renowned comets, Halley’s Comet crosses into the inner Solar System approximately every 76 years. Although this celestial body isn’t anywhere close to our planet at present, it still makes an impact via the meteor showers resulting from the dusty path it trails along its orbit.
Back in 1986, when the comet last swung through the inner solar system, it lost about
1/1,000th of its mass
. Rice said that the dust trail crosses Earth’s orbit twice, which gives us two yearly meteor showers: the Eta Aquarid shower and the Orionid shower in October.
The Eta Aquarid shower is your last chance to see any meteors for a few months. The next one will be in late July.
How to see the Eta Aquarid meteor shower
The Eta Aquarid meteor shower can be observed globally, provided one isn’t located at very high northern or southern latitudes. Individuals in the Southern Hemisphere enjoy superior visibility since these meteors appear higher up in their night skies. Those residing in the Northern Hemisphere might catch sight of “earthgrazers,” which are elongated shooting stars close to the horizon giving an illusionary effect of skimming across the ground.
Expect the shower to reach its highest point with around 50 meteors per hour,” according to Rice. This indicates that you might have periods of waiting between seeing each shooting star. Staying outdoors for extended durations and having a clear, dark sky will increase your chances of spotting more meteors.
Keep clear of lights, if possible.
Like all meteor showers, the optimal time for viewing will be during nighttime, specifically between midnight and dawn, when artificial lighting is minimal. Choose a spot away from urban areas where ambient city glow does not interfere with your stargazing experience.
As per the American Meteor Society, the conditions required to observe the Eta Aquarids are as follows:
shower are excellent
Since the first quarter moon will set well ahead of the radiant rising, you’ll want to begin your observation when the radiant becomes visible. For the Eta Aquarids, this point of origin seems to be within the Aquarius constellation, making it an ideal spot for starting your search.
“Aquarius will not appear in the evening sky until past midnight, making this meteor shower ideal for those who are up late or rise very early,” Rice noted.
You won’t leave your house and spot them outside.
You don’t require an elaborate camera or specialized gear to observe a meteor shower. Nonetheless, anticipate not spotting them right away as you venture out. It takes some time for your vision to acclimate to the dark surroundings. Thus, bring along a blanket, sit in a chair, or simply recline on the lawn, making yourself at ease. As per Rice’s advice, allow approximately 20 to 30 minutes for your sight to adjust before the meteors become visible.
The highest point of the shower will be reached on Monday evening, but according to Rice, we might observe meteors from Halley’s Comet for up to two to three weeks following this peak.