When and where to see the peak of the Etta Aquarits meteor shower

Get ready for the best meteor shower of the year, astronomy fans: The and Aquarites According to NASA, the peak is about to be reached.

The shower will be overnight from Sunday into Monday, although meteors from the shower will be visible throughout the week, according to NASA. The peak happens near a new moon, which means the sky will be dark and meteors will be easier to see.

When and Where to Watch the Etta Aquarits Meteor Shower

Best time to visit Burnout Overnight from Sunday to Monday. Rain can be seen in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres at dawn, although the best viewing experience will be in the Southern Hemisphere. Observers in the Southern Hemisphere can catch up to 40 meteors per hour, while observers in the Northern Hemisphere will see 10-20 meteors per hour.

Eta Aquarid meteors in the Northern Hemisphere are often geograzers – long meteors that appear to skim the Earth’s surface on the horizon.

To get the best view, move to an area away from city lights or street lights. NASA advises to lie on your back with your feet facing east. It takes about 30 minutes in the dark for your eyes to adjust enough to see meteors.

A plane of light trails and the Milky Way appear in the night sky during the Etta Aquarits meteor shower that peaks over Ratnapura, Sri Lanka on May 5, 2024.

Thilina Kalutottake/NoorPhoto via Getty Images


„Be patient — the show lasts until dawn, so you have plenty of time to catch a glimpse,” NASA said.

After peaking, rain will continue till May 27.

What makes Eta Aquarits so special?

Eta aquarids are known for their speed. Faster meteors can leave light trains behind them, which can last from several seconds to minutes, NASA notes. Eta Aquariids travel at 44 miles per second.

The meteorites in Eta Aquariids come from space debris originating from Halley’s Comet. Every time it returns to the inner solar system, Halley ejects a layer of ice and rock into space. Spilled space dust creates two meteor showers a year: the Eta Aquarits in May and the Orianids in October.

What is a meteor shower?

As meteors — space rocks that enter Earth’s atmosphere — pass through the sky each night, meteor showers occur less frequently. During a meteor shower, many meteors hit the Earth’s atmosphere in a short period of time. As meteors pass through the atmosphere, they leave streaks of light caused by the glowing, heated air.

Most meteorites burn up as they fall, but some meteorites survive the journey and reach Earth. They are considered meteorites.

Look up – what else can you see in the sky this spring?

Astronomy fans can see the flower moon this month when the May full moon rises. May’s full moon will reach peak brightness on May 23, according to NASA. Old Farmer’s Almanac specific details Moon rise time For different ZIP codes across the United States.

May’s full moon is the last full moon of spring. June’s full moon reaches peak brightness on June 21, one day after the summer solstice.

The next meteor shower Southern Delta Aquarits in July, according to the American Meteorological Society.

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