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The Eta Aquariid meteor shower is expected to peak on Tuesday, but a nearly full moon could overshadow the show. Astronomers also have the opportunity to see the shower early in the morning before sunrise on Sunday.
© Mike Cavaroc / Alamy
This image shows the Eta Aquarid meteorite in 2016, seen at the Coconino rim along the Arizona trail.
May is the best spring month to see meteorite activity for those in the northern hemisphere, according to the American Meteor Society.
However, this meteor shower favors sky watchers in the southern hemisphere, where 20 to 40 meteors can be seen every hour. In the northern hemisphere, observers can expect to see between 10 and 30 meteors in the hours before sunrise.
The meteor shower is expected to peak in the mornings on May 5 and 6, but it coincides with the next full moon, which is also a supermoon, on May 7.
However, the waxing gibbous moon is expected to set during the wee hours of the morning this weekend, providing a better chance to see the meteor shower on Sunday morning.
You can use TimeandDate.com to check when the moon sets in your area. The amount of visible meteors will also be affected by the weather conditions where you live.
The source of the Eta Aquariid meteor shower is Halley’s Comet. Earth crosses the comet’s orbital path every spring between April and May. This happens again in October, creating the Orionid meteor shower.
Meteorites will traverse our sky at 151,200 miles per hour, and about half of them will leave lingering trains, which are bright trails of energy gas that linger for a few seconds after the meteorite passes, according to EarthSky.
They appear to come from the northeast part of the constellation Aquarius, which contributes to the name of the shower.
If you live in an urban area, you may want to drive to a place that is not filled with city lights that obstruct your view.
Find an open area with a wide view of the sky. Make sure you have a chair or blanket so you can look up. And give your eyes 20-30 minutes to adjust to the dark, without looking at your phone, to make meteorites easier to detect.
