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Any plans for the weekend? Like the rest of us, you are probably stuck at home. Make this weekend unlike any other quarantine weekend, and highlight it by watching the Eta Aquariids meteor shower.
Dozens of shooting stars will appear every hour this weekend and end in full swing on Tuesday. Astronomers urge observers to prepare to sit outside for hours, making sure they are comfortable as they may need to wait a long time. However, a good thing is that you won’t need any special equipment like binoculars or a telescope.
Experts also encourage being vigilant in all directions so as not to miss the brightest and most impressive shooting stars on the other side. Meteor shower will be best seen in the southern hemisphere. Observers from the northern hemisphere will also see the meteor shower, however it is not so clear.
According to NASA, the best way to monitor Eta Aquariids is to lie on your back and look up. They say it gives you the most extensive view of the sky without straining your neck.
The Royal Museums Greenwich also advises viewers to find a safe place away from sources of light pollution, such as lampposts and street lamps. The museum also says that there is no specific peak for Eta Aquariids, as they tend to level off at a decent pace for a week until May 7.
Clare Kenyon, a physicist at the University of Melbourne, said it is the ideal stargazing activity because you will not need equipment, except perhaps a blanket and a thermos. It would be the perfect activity to end the week.
For those who might miss the Eta Aquariids, the next meteor shower will be the Perseids in August. The sky will display over 100 shooting stars per hour at its peak and will display bright and fast meteorites.
According to experts, Eta Aqauriids do not produce as many stars per hour as Perseids. However, astronomers say asteroids will be just as bright if not brighter.
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Eta Aquariids are created from the remains left by Halley’s Comet. It occurs every year from mid-April to the end of May. It acquired its name from the constellation Aquarius as it falls from that point and the Eta Aquarius star in the sky.
Meteorites are pieces of debris that enter Earth’s atmosphere at speeds of up to 148,000 miles per hour. Known for their speed, meteorites will leave a trail of glowing debris that will follow after being vaporized.
The Moon will be in its disproportionate wax phase during the peak of the shower. However, it should not cause a problem with the display as it will be below the horizon before sunrise.
The Eta Aquariids is one of two rains formed by the debris from Halley’s Comet. The other is the Orionid meteor shower, which appears in October and shows 25 shooting stars per hour.
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