Latest news with #MeteoroidEnvironmentsOffice
CBS News
05-05-2025
- Science
- CBS News
When, where to see Eta Aquariid meteors, formed from Halley's comet debris, as the shower peaks tonight
Meteors from the Eta Aquariids, created by space debris left behind by the famous Halley's Comet, are set to zoom across the sky as the meteor shower peaks tonight. The Eta Aquariids will peak from Monday night through Tuesday morning, according to NASA. Astronomy fans hoping to enjoy the meteors can check local forecasts for detailed information on how clear the night sky will be in various locations. Under optimal conditions, about 50 Eta Aquariid meteors can be seen per hour during the shower's peak. But light from the waxing moon will wash out the fainter meteors this year, according to Bill Cooke, who leads NASA's Meteoroid Environments Office. Viewers can expect 10-15 meteors per hour just before dawn on Tuesday morning. When and where to see the Eta Aquariids While the shower will peak from May 5 to May 6, the shower will be active until May 21. To catch the meteors at their peak, NASA advises going outside around 2 a.m. local time on Tuesday. The moon will set by around 3 a.m., leaving skies dark until dawn. The shower will be viewable in both the Northern and Southern hemispheres but the conditions will be better in the Southern Hemisphere. The Eta Aquarids meteor shower, best observed in the predawn hours away from city lights, is a mesmerizing celestial event cherished by skywatchers worldwide. Thilina Kaluthotage/NurPhoto via Getty Images Viewers should find an area away from lights, then lie on their backs with their feet facing east. NASA advises viewers should look away from the moon and give their eyes about 30 minutes to adjust to the dark. Avoid looking at bright lights, such as a cellphone. Bring a sleeping bag, blanket or lawn chair to keep comfortable while waiting for the meteors. What are meteor showers? Meteors, space rocks that enter Earth's atmosphere, streak through the sky every day. But meteor showers — when many meteors hit Earth's atmosphere over a short period of time — happen less frequently. When meteors pass through the atmosphere, they leave streaks of light behind them, giving them the appearance of a shooting star. Most meteors burn up as they fall toward Earth, but some survive the trip and are then considered meteorites. What makes the Eta Aquariids unique The Eta Aquariids are known for their speed. The Eta Aquariids travel about 40 miles per second. Eta Aquarid meteors in the Northern Hemisphere are often earthgrazers — long meteors that appear to skim the surface of the Earth at the horizon, according to NASA. Meteors in the Eta Aquariids come from space debris that originated from Halley's comet. Halley sheds a layer of ice and dust into space each time it returns to the inner solar system. The shed space dust forms two meteor showers a year: the Eta Aquarids in May and the Orionids in October. Those hoping to see Halley itself will have to wait a while. Halley takes about 76 years to orbit the sun and will not enter the inner solar system again until 2061.
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
When, where to see Eta Aquariid meteors as the shower peaks this month
Eta Aquariids are set to zoom across the sky as the meteor shower peaks tonight. The Eta Aquariids will peak from Monday night through Tuesday morning, according to NASA. Astronomy fans hoping to enjoy the meteors can check local forecasts for detailed information on how clear the night sky will be in various locations. Under optimal conditions, about 50 Eta Aquariid meteors can be seen per hour during the shower's peak. But light from the waxing moon will wash out the fainter meteors this year, according to Bill Cooke, who leads NASA's Meteoroid Environments Office. Viewers can expect 10-15 meteors per hour just before dawn on Tuesday morning. When and where to see the Eta Aquariids While the shower will peak from May 5 to May 6, the shower will be active until May 21. To catch the meteors at their peak, NASA advises going outside around 2 a.m. local time on Tuesday. The moon will set by around 3 a.m., leaving skies dark until dawn. The shower will be viewable in both the Northern and Southern hemispheres but the conditions will be better in the Southern Hemisphere. Viewers should find an area away from lights, then lie on their backs with their feet facing east. NASA advises viewers should look away from the moon and give their eyes about 30 minutes to adjust to the dark. Avoid looking at bright lights, such as a cellphone. Bring a sleeping bag, blanket or lawn chair to keep comfortable while waiting for the meteors. What are meteor showers? Meteors, space rocks that enter Earth's atmosphere, streak through the sky every day. But meteor showers — when many meteors hit Earth's atmosphere over a short period of time — happen less frequently. When meteors pass through the atmosphere, they leave streaks of light behind them, giving them the appearance of a shooting star. Most meteors burn up as they fall toward Earth, but some survive the trip and are then considered meteorites. What makes the Eta Aquariids unique The Eta Aquariids are known for their speed. The Eta Aquariids travel about 40 miles per second. Eta Aquarid meteors in the Northern Hemisphere are often earthgrazers — long meteors that appear to skim the surface of the Earth at the horizon, according to NASA. Meteors in the Eta Aquariids come from space debris that originated from Halley's comet. Halley sheds a layer of ice and dust into space each time it returns to the inner solar system. The shed space dust forms two meteor showers a year: the Eta Aquarids in May and the Orionids in October. Former treasury secretary on Trump's tariffs alarming American businesses Millions of Americans brace for federal student loan collections to resume Newark airport travel woes continue as staffing issues persist
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.
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
What time can you see the Eta Aquarids meteor shower? See peak days, Ohio weather forecast
Roughly two weeks after the most recent meteor shower of 2025, shooting stars will again streak across the skies over Ohio. And the peak night to view them is here. The third meteor shower of the year behind the Lyrids in April and the Quadrantids in January, the Eta Aquarids (also spelled "Aquariids") peak in early May each year. And they're spawned by perhaps the most famous comet of them all — Halley's. While they're best viewed from the Southern Hemisphere, according to NASA, the Eta Aquarids will still put on a show across the United States, if the weather cooperates. But with Ohio being Ohio, Mother Nature may not. Here's what to know. The biggest astronomical events in 2025: Every eclipse, comet, meteor shower to see in Ohio The Eta Aquarids will peak the evening of May 5 into the pre-dawn hours of May 6, according to NASA. According to NASA's Watch the Skies blog, the best time to view the peak starts at 2 a.m. May 6 and lasts until dawn. "Expect to see at most 10–15 meteors per hour just before dawn on the morning of May 6,' Bill Cooke, who leads NASA's Meteoroid Environments Office at the agency's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, told the blog. The moon, however, will be about 60% full, and its light may block some of the show. 'The light from the waxing Moon will wash out the fainter meteors this year," Cooke said. The moon might not be the only thing to dampen the meteor shower during its peak. Rain is in the Ohio weather forecast for May 5 to 6. According to the National Weather Service forecast for Akron, there's an 80% chance of showers, and a 50% chance of thunderstorms on the evening of May 5, which continues into May 6, with a 40% chance of showers that morning. In Columbus, there's a 60% chance of showers the evening of May 5, which grows to an 80% chance of May 6. Cincinnati may have the best chance of cooperative weather, with only a 30% chance of showers overnight May 5 continuing into May 6. Active from April 20 to May 21, per NASA, the Eta Aquarids appear to originate from the constellation Aquarius, giving the meteor shower its name. The meteors are known for their speed, and they can leave glowing "trains" — bits of debris in their wake — that can last for up to a full minute. They originate from debris left behind by Halley's Comet, which returns every 76 years and was last seen in 1986. Halley is often called the most famous comet because it marked the first time astronomers understood comets could be repeat visitors to the solar system, according to NASA. Scientists have now linked its appearances to observations dating back more than 2,000 years. Before Edmond Halley, an English astronomer who lived from 1656 to 1742, comets were believed to make only one pass through the solar system. In 1705, Halley used Isaac Newton's theories of gravitation and planetary motions to compute the orbits of several comets. He found similarities in the orbits of bright comets reported in 1531, 1607, and 1682. Halley suggested that they were a single comet making return trips. Halley correctly predicted the comet would return in 1758. History's first known "periodic" comet was later named in his honor. The big show every year is the Perseid meteor shower, which this year will peak from Aug. 12 to 13 with 50 to 100 meteors per hour, according to NASA. The Perseids appear to originate from the constellation Perseus and are considered to be the best meteor shower of the year, according to NASA. At their peak, the Perseids can generate up to 100 meteors per hour. These meteors originate from comet Swift-Tuttle, which orbits the sun every 133 years and was last seen in 1992. Swift-Tuttle is large, with a nucleus measuring 16 miles wide. According to NASA, that's nearly twice the size of the object thought to have caused the extinction of the dinosaurs. This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: When Eta Aquarids meteor shower 2025? Peak days, Ohio weather forecast
CBS News
05-05-2025
- Science
- CBS News
When, where to see Eta Aquariid meteors as the shower peaks tonight
Eta Aquariids are set to zoom across the sky as the meteor shower peaks tonight. The Eta Aquariids will peak from Monday night through Tuesday morning, according to NASA. Astronomy fans hoping to enjoy the meteors can check local forecasts for detailed information on how clear the night sky will be in various locations. Under optimal conditions, about 50 Eta Aquariid meteors can be seen per hour during the shower's peak. But light from the waxing moon will wash out the fainter meteors this year, according to Bill Cooke, who leads NASA's Meteoroid Environments Office. Viewers can expect 10-15 meteors per hour just before dawn on Tuesday morning. When and where to see the Eta Aquariids While the shower will peak from May 5 to May 6, the shower will be active until May 21. To catch the meteors at their peak, NASA advises going outside around 2 a.m. local time on Tuesday. The moon will set by around 3 a.m., leaving skies dark until dawn. The shower will be viewable in both the Northern and Southern hemispheres but the conditions will be better in the Southern Hemisphere. The Eta Aquarids meteor shower, best observed in the predawn hours away from city lights, is a mesmerizing celestial event cherished by skywatchers worldwide. Thilina Kaluthotage/NurPhoto via Getty Images Viewers should find an area away from lights, then lie on their backs with their feet facing east. NASA advises viewers should look away from the moon and give their eyes about 30 minutes to adjust to the dark. Avoid looking at bright lights, such as a cellphone. Bring a sleeping bag, blanket or lawn chair to keep comfortable while waiting for the meteors. What are meteor showers? Meteors, space rocks that enter Earth's atmosphere, streak through the sky every day. But meteor showers — when many meteors hit Earth's atmosphere over a short period of time — happen less frequently. When meteors pass through the atmosphere, they leave streaks of light behind them, giving them the appearance of a shooting star. Most meteors burn up as they fall toward Earth, but some survive the trip and are then considered meteorites. What makes the Eta Aquariids unique The Eta Aquariids are known for their speed. The Eta Aquariids travel about 40 miles per second. Eta Aquarid meteors in the Northern Hemisphere are often earthgrazers — long meteors that appear to skim the surface of the Earth at the horizon, according to NASA. Meteors in the Eta Aquariids come from space debris that originated from Halley's comet. Halley sheds a layer of ice and dust into space each time it returns to the inner solar system. The shed space dust forms two meteor showers a year: the Eta Aquarids in May and the Orionids in October.
