Looking forward to this year’s Eta Aquariid meteor shower? It will peak overnight on May 5 into the morning of May 6, providing skywatchers a great opportunity to catch an upsurge of dazzling shooting stars. As Earth wanders through a river of cosmic dust, these little particles crash into our atmosphere at 40.7 miles per second. When they burn in atmospheric entry, these vehicle prototypes create a spectacular space painting.
During this year’s Eta Aquariid meteor shower, skywatchers in the Southern Hemisphere may see up to 60 meteors per hour! Prepare yourself for a once-in-a-lifetime celestial experience! Viewers located in northern regions such as the northern U.S., Canada, and Europe can expect to see between 10 to 30 meteors per hour, particularly just before dawn. The radiant of the shower stays very low to the horizon for those in these areas, and this could impact visibility.
In addition to peaking on the nights of May 5 – 6, the meteor shower has an unusually wide peak period. That earlier arrival period is what makes it possible for enthusiasts to catch shooting stars in the nights before and after the peak. Location is extremely important when it comes to seeing them. Those positioned further south toward the equator will have a better chance at seeing the meteors at their best visibility and with the most meteors per hour.
On May 6, the moon will be 63% illuminated as it rises into the sky and sets early in the morning. Beautiful night sky This perfect timing coincides with some of the best meteor shower viewing conditions in recent memory, with the predawn hours of Tuesday, Nov. The naked-eye observers will be able to see more than just typical meteors. They may witness “Earthgrazers,” which skim the horizon causing spectacular long persistence trails.
The Eta Aquariid meteor shower links humanity to the deep cosmos in ways that are hard to measure.
