Eta Aquarids, an annual meteor shower that occurs each May, peaked this week. Bits of it could still be visible to careful observers.
According the American Meteor Society, Eta Aquarids “are a strong shower when viewed from the southern tropics,” and “usually only produce medium rates of 10-30 per hour just before dawn,” north of the equator. Meteor activity is strong for around a week centered around the peak night.
This year the peak occurred on May 5, according to Space.com.
“It’s a perfect opportunity for space enthusiasts to get out and experience one of nature’s most vivid light shows,” said Bill Cooke, who leads NASA’s Meteoroid Environment Office at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama.
Eta Aquarids meteors are known for their speed, according to NASA. They travel at around 148,000 mph into Earth's atmosphere and can leave glowing “trains” of incandescent debris in their wake which last for several seconds to minutes. Around 30 Eta Aquarid meteors can be seen per hour during the storm’s peak, though in the Northern Hemisphere that rate can go down to 10 meteors per hour.
These meteors are most visible during the pre-dawn hours, NASA explained. So, sky gazers should try to catch a glimpse of them from 2 a.m. to 3 a.m. by looking near the constellation Aquarius. Eta Aquarids are named after the constellation’s brightest star, Eta Aquarii, where they appear to “radiate” from in the sky.
In the Northern Hemisphere, Eta Aquarid meteors often appear as “earthgrazers,” or long meteors that appear to skim the surface of the Earth at the horizon. This happens because Aquarius is lower in the sky there compared to the Southern Hemisphere.
To best see the meteors, sky watchers should find an area away from city lights or street lights, said NASA.
“Come prepared with a sleeping bag, blanket or lawn chair,” the agency recommends. “Lie flat on your back with your feet facing east and look up, taking in as much of the sky as possible. After about 30 minutes in the dark, your eyes will adapt and you will begin to see meteors. Be patient—the show will last until dawn, so you have plenty of time to catch a glimpse.”
Eta Aquarids is one of two annual showers caused by pieces of Halley’s Comet. In October the other Halley’s Comet shower – the Orionid meteor shower – will fly by.
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