dailyloe.com – The Eta Aquariid meteor shower will peak overnight from May 5-6, providing a chance for skywatchers to see shooting stars. This shower is active from April 19 to May 28 each year, with meteors radiating from the constellation Aquarius, near the star Eta Aquarii.
Halley’s Comet, which has a 76-year orbital period, is responsible for the meteors. The comet last passed through the inner solar system in 1986 and will return in 2061. Earth crosses the trail of dust left by Halley’s Comet twice yearly, creating the Eta Aquariids and the Orionid meteor shower.
As Earth travels through Halley’s debris, particles enter the atmosphere at around 40.7 miles per second. This creates swift meteors with glowing trails. Bright fireballs are possible but rare. The Eta Aquariid activity peaks around the night of May 5-6.
In the Northern Hemisphere, the shower typically produces 10 to 30 meteors per hour. The radiant, Eta Aquarii, remains low on the eastern horizon, but long Earthgrazers may still be visible. The Eta Aquariids are most visible from the Southern tropics, where the radiant rises higher before sunrise.
Under optimal dark-sky conditions, observers may see up to 50 meteors per hour. However, moonlight will pose a challenge this year. On the peak night, the moon will be a waning gibbous, about 84% full, which may reduce visible meteors to fewer than 10 per hour.
