Come see the 'Earthgrazers': Eta Aquarids to peak early May. When and how to watch the meteor shower
In case you missed the Lyrid meteor shower in April, you now have another chance to catch a celestial display. The Eta Aquarids meteor shower, known for its speedy space rocks, is due to peak in early May.
The Eta Aquarids have been active since April 20, but will reach their peak May 5-6.
According to NASA, the meteors travel at about 40 miles per second into Earth's atmosphere and can leave behind glowing "trains" (incandescent bits of debris) which last for several seconds to minutes
Although the Southern Hemisphere is preferable for viewing the Eta Aquarids, the Northern Hemisphere will still be able to catch a glimpse. Here's what to know about the Eta Aquarids meteor shower and how to see it in 2025.
The meteor shower will be at its peak Monday, May 5, and Tuesday, May 6.
The optimal viewing time in the Northern Hemisphere will be during the pre-dawn hours, said NASA, when stargazers can view up to 10 meteors or "Earthgrazers" (long meteors that appear to skim the surface of the Earth at the horizon) per hour.
The difference in meteor visibility between hemispheres is due to the position of the radiant — the point from which meteors appear to originate in the sky. The constellation Aquarius, home to the Eta Aquarids' radiant, is higher in the Southern Hemisphere, said NASA, making meteors more frequent and easier to see.
Like all other meteor showers, the Eta Aquarids are best viewed in dark areas, away from city or street lights. NASA recommends bringing a sleeping bag, blanket, or lawn chair, lying flat on your back with your feet facing east, and looking up to take in as much of the sky as possible.
"After about 30 minutes in the dark, your eyes will adapt and you will begin to see meteors," said NASA. "Be patient – the show will last until dawn, so you have plenty of time to catch a glimpse."
The Eta Aquarids originate from the most famous comet, Halley's Comet. Discovered in 1705 by Edmund Halley, the comet takes about 76 years to complete a full orbit around the Sun.
According to NASA, each time Halley returns to the inner solar system, its nucleus sheds a layer of ice and rock into space. The dust grains eventually become the Eta Aquarids in May and the Orionids in October if they collide with Earth's atmosphere.
Halley's Comet will not enter the inner solar system again until 2061.
The next showers to take place after this are the Southern delta Aquariids and the alpha Capricornids, which are both set to peak July 29-30, according to the American Meteor Society.
The Southern delta Aquariids are best seen from the Southern Hemisphere and while the alpha Capricornids can be seen from the Northern Hemisphere, it is not a very strong shower.
Diana Leyva covers trending news and service journalism for The Tennessean. Contact her at Dleyva@gannett.com or follow her on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, at @_leyvadiana
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: When is the Eta Aquarids meteor shower at its peak? How to see
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