You Won’t Want To Miss Spring’s Biggest Meteor Shower This Week

Starting today, May 4, and lasting through Thursday, May 6, the Eta Aquariid meteor shower will be twinkling in the predawn sky. Though those in the Southern Hemisphere will have the best views of the Eta Aquariids (in fact, it’s one of the best meteor showers of the year for residents in the Southern Hemisphere), but those in the mid-northern latitudes, and maybe even in some southern U.S. states, can still see quite the show. 

The Eta Aquariid meteor shower hails from the constellation Aquarius, and more specifically the star Eta Aquarii, according to EarthSky. However, it’s Halley’s comet that is responsible for the meteors. Every late April and early May, Earth crosses the orbital path of Halley’s comet and shards from the comet burn up in Earth’s atmosphere, giving us Earthlings something pretty to look at.

The best time to catch a glimpse of the Eta Aquariid meteor shower is just before dawn on May 5, though meteors will likely appear in the early morning sky of May 4 and 6, as well.

The waning crescent moon might cause some problems for meteor viewing, EarthSky warns, as the brightness could wash out some of the meteors. So, to up your chances of seeing the shower, try to sit in a “moon shadow,” that being a spot where the moon is blocked out yet a vast expanse of sky is still visible — EarthSky suggests a place where mountains may block out your view of the moon in the predawn sky.

There’s also a good chance for the Eta Aquariids to leave those beautiful trails behind them, which are caused by ionized matter left in a meteor’s wake.

Again, the best spot to check out this shower is in the Southern Hemisphere. But, if you’re a Northern Hemisphere resident, don’t fret. The Perseid meteor shower, which will take place from August 11 through 13 and is one of the Northern Hemisphere’s most prolific meteor showers of the year, promising long trains and bright meteors thanks to a dark waxing crescent moon.