The Eta Aquarids meteor shower is set to reach its peak next week between May 6 and May 7, with up to “50 meteors per hour” in the late-night sky according to NASA.
Aussies can celebrate as the celestial event is best observed in the Southern hemisphere!
Curious why it occurs? Here’s what you need to know.
What is the Eta Aquarids meteor shower?
The Eta Aquarids (also spelled Aquariids) is an annual phenomenon that usually occurs between April 19 and May 28 every year – meaning it’s already active.
It holds distinction as being one of the two meteor showers created from the debris of Comet Halley, more formally known as 1P Halley.
As our planet passes through the comet’s particles, they collide into our atmosphere at up to 65 km/s, creating fiery flicks across the sky.
According to NASA, fast meteors can leave “glowing trains” which may last between several seconds up to minutes.
About 50 meteors per hour can be seen during the peak.
The event gets its name from the point in the sky the meteors appear to originate.
This point is located towards the constellation Aquarius, near one of its brightest stars, Eta Aquarii.
The meteor shower will reach its peak at 2am AEST on both May 6 and 7.
Observers should look east up during the early hours of night to see it best.
