When is best time to see Halley's comet - Eta Aquarid meteor shower tonight? How to watch
The annual Eta Aquarid showers are best known for their fast and bright meteors traveling at speeds of 40.7 miles per second. They are caused by debris left by Halley's comet when Earth passes through its orbit.
Eta Aquarids will be the last major meteor shower until the Southern Delta Aquarids and Alpha Capricornids peak simultaneously between July 29 and July 30, according to the American Meteor Society.
This year's Eta Aquarid shower could give stargazers the opportunity to see up to 50 meteors per hour pass swiftly across the sky and leaving glowing 'trains' during its peak tonight, according to NASA.
Here's what to know about tonight's shooting stars, when and how to watch.
When is the Eta Aquarid meteor shower?
The Eta Aquarids are active from April 20 to May 21, and are set to peak between May 5-6 in 2025.
While approximately 10 meteors per hour may be observed during the night skies between April 20 through May 21, NASA reports up to 50 meteors per hour may be visible during its peak between May 5-6.
What is the Eta Aquarid meteor shower?
The Eta Aquarids, or Eta Aquariids, is an annual shower of meteors shooting through the night sky as they come into Earth's atmosphere.
When comets come around the sun, they leave a dusty trail of particles and bits of broken asteroids, NASA explains, and every year when Earth passes through these debris trails during its orbit, the bits 'collide with its atmosphere where they disintegrate to create fiery and colorful streaks in the sky.'
The debris that causes the Eta Aquarid meteor shower originates from comet 1P/Halley, which takes about 76 years to orbit the Sun. The infamous Comet Halley is not expected to enter the inner solar system again until 2061.
How to watch the Eta Aquarid meteor shower?
To best view the Eta Aquarids, find an area well away from city lights or street lights. On a sleeping bag, blanket or lawn chair, lie flat on your back with your feet facing east and look up, taking in as much of the sky as possible, according to NASA.
It may take about 30 minutes in the dark for your eyes to adapt and then you will begin to see meteors. It will be an all-night show of spectacular shooting stars.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: When to see Halley's comet? Best time to watch meteor shower tonight
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