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The ETA Aquariid Meteor Shower is about to reach its peak. You need to wake up early to see this celestial show. However, according to NASA, it is the last meteor shower until late July and is considered one of the best annual showers in the Southern Hemisphere.

Experts vary on the exact peak of this meteor shower, but according to Elusski and the American Meteor Society, the best time to see it is during the early hours of Sunday, Monday and Tuesday.

On Tuesday, the month will be set by 3am According to NASA, it provides dark skies for optimal viewing in any time zone.

Those looking at the sky in the Northern Hemisphere can see 10 to 20 meteors per hour between 2am and 4am, experts at the American Meteor Society said. However, the southern half of the US and the southern hemisphere airspace could see more, Earthski shared.

The ETA Aquariid Shower produces a rapid meteor with stripes scattered behind them, remaining seconds after the Meteors zipped, but still with just a few bright fireballs.

On May 5, 2024, you will be able to see the Eta Aquarid Meteor Shower in Ratnapura, Sri Lanka.

The source of the ETA Aquariid Meteor Shower is Halley’s Comet. Earth crosses the comet’s orbital path every spring between April and May, causing the comet to break down small rocks and dust, hitting the planet’s atmosphere, creating a dazzling meteor display. It happens again in October, and becomes an Orionide meteor shower.

Halley’s Comet is the last visible stripe across the Earth’s night sky in 1986, and it sways when it moves in a 76-year orbit around the Sun in 2061.

The meteor appears to come from the northeastern part of the Aquarius constellation, which contributes to the name of the shower.

The meteor appears to originate from the faint star, Itaakarii, but is 170 light years away. According to Earthsky, meteors actually burn just 60 miles (100 kilometers) on the surface of Earth.

If you live in an urban area and want to see eta aquariids, you may want to drive to a place where there are no lights scattered in the city that block your visibility. The darker the sky, the more likely it is to increase the number of meteors.

Find an open area with wide views of the sky. Make sure you have a chair or blanket. That way you can look straight up. And to adapt to the darkness without looking at your phone, give you about 20-30 minutes of eyes, making it easier to spot meteors.

Peak days for other meteor showers are expected this year, according to the American Meteor Society and Earthky.

  • South Delta Aquaridos: July 29th-30th

  • Alpha Capricornids: July 29th-30th

  • Perseid: August 12th-13th

  • Draconids: October 8th-9th

  • Orionid: October 22nd-23rd

  • Southern Taurid: November 3rd to 4th

  • Northern Taurid: November 8th to 9th

  • Leonid: November 16th-17th

  • Geminid: December 12th-13th

  • Ursids: December 21st-22nd



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By US-NEA

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