Latest news with #EtaAquarii
New York Post
05-05-2025
- Science
- New York Post
The Eta Aquarids meteor shower is back – here's how to see the peak of Halley's Comet debris
It's gonna be a blast! The Eta Aquarids meteor shower is back and about to peak for a dazzling show. 4 The Eta Aquarids meteor shower is back this spring. Benedict – Advertisement The Eta Aquarids get their name from the bright star Eta Aquarii in the constellation Aquarius, as the meteors appear to radiate from this point in the sky. These meteors are fast-moving and often leave bright streaks across the night sky, visible to the naked eye for anywhere from several seconds to minutes. They are known for their moderate to high activity levels, with an average of 20 to 30 meteors per hour during the peak — but ideal viewing conditions can reveal even more. Advertisement The Eta Aquarid meteor shower peaks during early May every year. The meteors are expected to be active this year from April 20 to May 21 and appear most densely the night of May 5 into the morning hours of May 6. 'The light from the waxing Moon will wash out the fainter meteors this year — expect to see at most 10-15 meteors per hour just before dawn on the morning of the 6th,' Bill Cooke, who leads NASA's Meteoroid Environments Office, said to NASA. 4 The Eta Aquarids get their name from the bright star Eta Aquarii in the constellation Aquarius, as the meteors appear to radiate from this point in the sky. Miguel – They can be seen from both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. Advertisement This shower is one of two meteor showers associated with Halley's Comet — the other being the Orionids in October. What is Halley's comet? Halley's comet is a periodic comet that appears in Earth's sky roughly once every 76 years. The starry spectacular has been observed for hundreds of years, and is the only comet visible to the naked eye from Earth that can appear twice in a human lifetime. 4 These meteors are fast-moving and often leave bright streaks across the night sky visible to the naked eye for anywhere from several seconds to minutes. AP Advertisement Halley's Comet orbits the Sun, traveling from the outer reaches of the solar system to the inner solar system and back, leaving a trail of debris in its wake. This debris is responsible for the meteor showers associated with the comet, like the Eta Aquarids and the Orionids. When is the next meteor shower? The next meteor shower is the Eta Aquarids, which is expected to peak on May 5. Following the Eta Aquarids, the next major meteor shower is the Perseids, which typically peak in mid-August. 4 The meteors are expected to be active this year from April 20 to May 21 and peak the night of May 5 into the morning hours of May 6. REUTERS What causes a meteor shower? A meteor shower happens when Earth passes through a trail of debris left behind by a comet. As a comet orbits the Sun, it sheds small particles of dust and ice, creating a debris field along its path. When Earth intersects this path, the particles, called meteoroids, enter Earth's atmosphere at high speeds and burn up due to friction with the air. This process creates the bright streaks of light we see as meteors. Depending on the size of the particles, some meteor showers can produce impressive displays, with dozens or even hundreds of meteors visible per hour.
The Guardian
05-05-2025
- Science
- The Guardian
What is the Eta Aquariids meteor shower? And where and when can I see it in Australia?
Stargazers and early risers are in for a stellar show this week, with one of the biggest meteor showers in the southern hemisphere due to light up the skies. The meteors — called the Eta Aquariids – pass through the atmosphere every year, but 2025 is due to be particularly luminous as the moon won't be visible when they arrive. Here's how to catch a view of the celestial delight. The Eta Aquariids are caused by earth passing through debris left behind by Halley's Comet hundreds of years ago. Dr Rebecca McElroy, an astrophysicist from the University of Southern Queensland, said Earth passes through the debris field every year. As the bits of rock and dust hit the atmosphere at high speeds, they burn up and create bright streaks – creating what we call meteors. 'Meteors tend to look like a bright streak going by, like a shooting star, but more,' McElroy said. 'Occasionally they happen just randomly – when something of a high density is in our path.' It is known as 'Eta Aquariids' because of the part of the sky in which the meteors appear – which is near the star Eta Aquarii in the constellation of Aquarius. The good thing is this particular meteor shower not only happens every year, but spans over multiple days. McElroy said Wednesday 7 May would be the 'best day' for stargazers, with around two dozen meteors expected to pass per hour. But if it happens to be cloudy that day, you won't blink and miss it. The shower will continue to have a strong showing on the days preceding and following 7 May, before tapering off at the end of the month. 'Often these things are quite short lived … it'll peak this week but it will continue,' McElroy said. Unfortunately, though, the best viewing window is between 3am and 5am – 'not for the faint hearted or those who feel the cold'. If you happen to find yourself awake in the early dawn, though, you're in luck. The Eta Aquariids can be viewed anywhere in the world, but they are best seen from the southern hemisphere where the shower will rise in the pre-dawn, darkened sky. In Australia, every state and territory will be able to witness the display. But McElroy said areas with the lowest light pollution would have the greatest visibility – such as Uluru and remote parts of the Northern Territory. 'These things aren't enormously bright, so you want to get away from as much light pollution as you can,' McElroy said. 'If you're in the city, get into the suburbs and away from bright lights.' Australia is lucky. McElroy said the best skies she's seen have been Down Under and in Chile because they look towards the centre of the Milky Way. 'In the northern hemisphere, you spend most of the year looking to the outskirts, but our winter happens to have the Milky Way's centre up in sky, and parts of Australia are very dark with a lot of protected [areas], like national parks,' she said. After heading outside, McElroy said you should first 'check the weather … That's the most important part. If it's cloudy you're not going to see anything, which is the curse of astronomy'. Then, turn off any porch or external lights and look away from bright street lights or your phone – which resets our daytime vision. 'Our eyes have a high dynamic range, and it takes 10 to 20 minutes to adjust to the night sky,' McElroy said. 'Grab a blanket, have a lie down and stay out there for an hour.' The constellation of Aquarius, where the meteors will appear, are in the north-east of the sky. Apps such as Star Mapper or Stellarium can help display the correct spot – but make sure you keep your brightness down. There are four meteor showers similar to Eta Aquariids which occur throughout the year – most notably, the Orionids meteor shower, which is also caused by the Halley's Comet debris trail and happens in October. But McElroy said meteor showers can also be a great gateway to look at the rest of the sky. 'A meteor shower is great, but we are blessed with fantastic skies in Australia, especially in the winter,' she said. 'We will be able to see whole band of Milky Way, and if you stay outside for longer, you'll see more and more fainter stars light up. You can look for the Southern Cross, spot some star clusters or the Emu constellation. 'Come for the meteors, stay for the Milky Way.'
Malaysian Reserve
05-05-2025
- Science
- Malaysian Reserve
MYSA: Eta Aquarids meteor shower to peak at midnight May 6 with up to 50 per hour
PUTRAJAYA — The Eta Aquarids meteor shower is expected to peak at midnight (May 6) until before sunrise, with an average of 50 meteors per hour, according to the Malaysian Space Agency (MYSA). In a post on its official Facebook page today, MYSA said the Eta Aquarids meteor shower can be observed from April 19 to May 28. 'Visibility will be favourable after the Moon (in its last quarter phase) sets at 2.29 am,' the agency said. MYSA advised that for the best viewing experience, observations should be made from open areas free of obstructions such as tall buildings, trees, or houses. 'Try to get a wide view of the sky. Avoid brightly lit areas, as darker surroundings offer better visibility,' it added. The Eta Aquarids meteor shower appears to radiate from the constellation Aquarius, although meteors can be seen streaking across the sky from various directions. This annual phenomenon is named after Eta Aquarii, the brightest star in the Aquarius constellation. It occurs when Earth passes through the orbital path of Comet 1P/Halley, commonly known as Halley's Comet. — BERNAMA
The Sun
05-05-2025
- Science
- The Sun
Eta Aquarids meteor shower to peak at midnight May 6 with up to 50 per hour
PUTRAJAYA: The Eta Aquarids meteor shower is expected to peak at midnight (May 6) until before sunrise, with an average of 50 meteors per hour, according to the Malaysian Space Agency (MYSA). In a post on its official Facebook page today, MYSA said the Eta Aquarids meteor shower can be observed from April 19 to May 28. 'Visibility will be favourable after the Moon (in its last quarter phase) sets at 2.29 am,' the agency said. MYSA advised that for the best viewing experience, observations should be made from open areas free of obstructions such as tall buildings, trees, or houses. 'Try to get a wide view of the sky. Avoid brightly lit areas, as darker surroundings offer better visibility,' it added. The Eta Aquarids meteor shower appears to radiate from the constellation Aquarius, although meteors can be seen streaking across the sky from various directions. This annual phenomenon is named after Eta Aquarii, the brightest star in the Aquarius constellation. It occurs when Earth passes through the orbital path of Comet 1P/Halley, commonly known as Halley's Comet.
The Star
05-05-2025
- Science
- The Star
Eta Aquarids meteor shower to peak at midnight May 6 with up to 50 per hour, says MYSA
PUTRAJAYA: The Eta Aquarids meteor shower is expected to peak at midnight (May 6) until before sunrise, with an average of 50 meteors per hour, according to the Malaysian Space Agency (MYSA). In a post on its official Facebook page on Monday (May 5), MYSA said the Eta Aquarids meteor shower can be observed from April 19 to May 28. "Visibility will be favourable after the Moon (in its last quarter phase) sets at 2.29 am," the agency said. MYSA advised that for the best viewing experience, observations should be made from open areas free of obstructions such as tall buildings, trees, or houses. "Try to get a wide view of the sky. Avoid brightly lit areas, as darker surroundings offer better visibility," it added. The Eta Aquarids meteor shower appears to radiate from the constellation Aquarius, although meteors can be seen streaking across the sky from various directions. This annual phenomenon is named after Eta Aquarii, the brightest star in the Aquarius constellation. It occurs when Earth passes through the orbital path of Comet 1P/Halley, commonly known as Halley's Comet. - Bernama
