This meteor shower is visible from April 21 to approximately May 20 each year, and this year, the day of maximum meteor influx will be Thursday, May 6, although the days before and after this peak will also be clearly visible until near the end of the month.
The show holds up to 50 shooting stars per hour in the night sky, according to astronomers. They could be more if we assume perfectly dark conditions, without light pollution, without clouds and located in the radiant, that is, the point from which the meteors seem to emanate, directly above our heads. With a low altitude radiant, the amount of Eta Aquarids that we will probably see should be less, about 20 per hour rather; but it is still a great opportunity to enjoy the warm spring nights and gaze a bit at the stars while we wait for the meteor hunt. In this case, the radiant of the Eta Aquarids is in the constellation Aquarius, hence it is named after the brightest star in the constellation, Eta Aquarii.
For people in mid-north latitudes, the radiant will not be very high in the sky, so you should be able to detect meteors on the southern horizon. Observers in the southern hemisphere will have the best view and will see radiant rain in the north.
As NASA recalls, “the constellation Aquarius, home of the radiant Eta Aquarids, is higher in the sky in the southern hemisphere than in the northern hemisphere.”
The Moon will be in its waning phase during the peak of the rain, so it shouldn’t be an obstacle to enjoying these shooting stars.
The remains of Halley’s Comet are in charge, on this occasion, of offering us the astronomical event in May. Earth will subsequently pass through Halley’s path around the Sun for the second time in October, generating the Orionid meteor shower, which peaks around October 20.
It takes Halley’s Comet about 76 years to make one complete revolution around the Sun. The next time it will be visible from Earth will be in 2061.
Some tips to observe the meteor shower
Use the shadow of the Moon. Find a place that offers you a large expanse of sky to see the meteors; a plateau area with tall mountains to block out the moon would work well or, on a bad basis, sit in the shadow of a building. Installed in the shadow of the moon, and away from the glare of the city lights, the night will darken as the meteors light up.
If possible avoid city lights. A wide and open area or even a lonely country road will be exceptional places to contemplate the meteor shower.
Remember that you don’t need binoculars or a telescope. They are visible to the naked eye, so it is most comfortable to lie on your back and look up; we will have a wider view of the sky without suffering neck tension.
The next big meteor shower will be that of the Perseids, in August, with more than 100 meteors per hour at their peak, very bright and fast.
