Our Planet Earth is approaching a stream of debris from Halley’s Comet, source of the annual eta Aquarid meteor shower. I assume if forecasters are correct, the shower will peak on the nights of May 4th through 6th this month with as many as 40 meteors per hour.
“This is a good year for eta Aquariid meteors,” says Bill Cooke of NASA’s Meteoroid Environment Office. “The shower’s peak coincides with a New Moon, so skies will be dark for the display.” It’s a great opportunity for photographers.
The best time to look is during the hours before sunrise when the constellation Aquarius is high in the southern sky. Nominally, May 5th will be the most active morning, but May 4th and May 6th should be good, too. Halley’s stream of debris is wide and spreads the display over three full days.
Wait, What?!
You can’t find the constellation Aquarius?
No Problem, you don’t need to. Although Halley’s meteors shoot out of Aquarius, they fly far across the sky. All you have to do is lie down under a dark clear sky and look up. The shower be obvious even without the guidance of a star chart.
Let’s hope those nights will be clear and free from clouds. For more information visit @ http://spaceweather.com
Mundhir