Latest news with #Orionid
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Awake early? Head outside to see Eta Aquarid meteor shower. Conditions should be good in Florida
Early this morning — and we're talking about before sunrise on May 6 — will be your last chance to head outside to catch the peak period of the Eta Aquarid meteor shower. If you slept in Tuesday morning, you might still be able to spot a few meteors until May 21, although they won't be as bright as they were during the peak of May 5-6. The annual meteor shower is caused when Earth passes through the debris left behind by Halley's comet. The Eta Aquarids peak during early May each year. In 2025, the Eta Aquarids meteor shower have been active since April 20 and will continue to be visible until May 21. The peak viewing days are May 5-6, according to NASA. About 10 meteors will be visible per hour in the Northern Hemisphere. The best view is actually in the Southern Hemisphere. "Eta Aquarid meteors are known for their speed, with the meteors traveling at about 40.7 miles per second into Earth's atmosphere," NASA said. The Eta Aquarids meteors originated from Halley's comet, known officially as comet 1P/Halley, according to NASA. The last time comet Halley was seen by casual observers was in 1986. It will re-enter the inner solar system again in 2061. The last time comet Halley's comet was seen by casual observers was in 1986. It will re-enter the inner solar system again in 2061. The Earth will pass through Halley's path around the sun again in October 2025. This creates the Orionid meteor shower, which peaks around Oct. 20, according to timeanddate. The best time to see the Eta Aquarid meteor shower will be during the hours right before dawn, about 4 to 5 a.m. Look low on the horizon. It's best to lie on your back, with your feet facing east, NASA said. Find an unobstructed view away from lights. It'll take about 30 minutes for your eyes to adapt to the darkness for you to be able to see the meteors. Conditions look good across all of Florida, with very few clouds to block your view. Timeanddate provides viewing conditions of the Eta Aquarid meteor shower each day. Factors considered include: radiant (where the meteor shower originates) weather sunrise moon rise and set ➤ Enter your city and date to see viewing conditions where you live Two meteor showers will peak in late July. The Southern Delta Aquariids are active beginning in mid-July and are visible until late August, according to NASA, with the peak nights July 29-30. You'll be able to see about seven to eight meteors per hour. "These faint meteors are difficult to spot, and if the moon is visible, you will not be able to view them," NASA said. Also visible will be the Alpha Capricornids, which are active from July 12 through Aug. 12. The peak will arrive July 30. "This shower is not very strong and rarely produces in excess of five shower members per hour," according to the American Meteor Society. The next full moon will be the Flower Moon on May 12. This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Eta Aquarid meteor shower: Where to look, when see, Florida conditions
Yahoo
03-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
The Eta Aquariid meteor shower is about to peak. Here's how to see it
Sign up for CNN's Wonder Theory science newsletter. Explore the universe with news on fascinating discoveries, scientific advancements and more. The Eta Aquariid meteor shower is about to reach its peak — and you'll need to get up early to see this celestial show. However, it's the last meteor shower until late July, and is considered to be one of the best annual showers in the Southern Hemisphere, according to NASA. While experts differ on the exact peak of this meteor shower, they agree that the best times to view it are in the early morning hours before dawn on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, according to EarthSky and the American Meteor Society. On Tuesday, the moon will set by 3 a.m. in any time zone, providing dark skies for optimal viewing, according to NASA. Those watching the sky in the Northern Hemisphere can expect to see about 10 to 20 meteors per hour between 2 a.m. and 4 a.m., experts at the American Meteor Society said. But sky-gazers in the southern half of the US and the Southern Hemisphere could see many more, EarthSky shared. The Eta Aquariid shower produces swift meteors with persistent, visible trains streaking behind them that can linger for seconds after the meteors zip by, but few bright fireballs, according to the American Meteor Society. The source of the Eta Aquariid meteor shower is Halley's comet. Earth crosses the comet's orbital path each spring between April and May, causing small grains of rock and dust shed by the comet to strike our planet's atmosphere and create a dazzling meteor display. It happens again in October, resulting in the Orionid meteor shower. Halley's comet was last visible streaking across Earth's night sky in 1986, and it will swing back by in 2061 as it travels on a 76-year orbit around the sun. The meteors appear to be coming from the northeastern part of the Aquarius constellation, which contributes to the name of the shower. While the meteors seem as though they're originating from the faint star Eta Aquarii, it's 170 light-years away. The meteors actually burn up just 60 miles (100 kilometers) above Earth's surface, according to EarthSky. If you live in an urban area and want to see the Eta Aquariids, you might want to drive to a place that isn't littered with city lights that will obstruct your view. The darker the skies, the more likely you are to see an increased number of meteors. Find an open area with a wide view of the sky. Make sure you have a chair or blanket so you can look straight up. And give your eyes about 20 to 30 minutes to adjust to the darkness — without looking at your phone — so meteors are easier to spot. Here are peak dates for other meteor showers to anticipate this year, according to the American Meteor Society and EarthSky. Southern Delta Aquariids: July 29–30 Alpha Capricornids: July 29–30 Perseids: August 12–13 Draconids: October 8–9 Orionids: October 22–23 Southern Taurids: November 3–4 Northern Taurids: November 8–9 Leonids: November 16–17 Geminids: December 12–13 Ursids: December 21–22
CNN
03-05-2025
- Science
- CNN
The Eta Aquariid meteor shower is about to peak. Here's how to see it
The Eta Aquariid meteor shower is about to reach its peak — and you'll need to get up early to see this celestial show. However, it's the last meteor shower until late July, and is considered to be one of the best annual showers in the Southern Hemisphere, according to NASA. While experts differ on the exact peak of this meteor shower, they agree that the best times to view it are in the early morning hours before dawn on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, according to EarthSky and the American Meteor Society. On Tuesday, the moon will set by 3 a.m. in any time zone, providing dark skies for optimal viewing, according to NASA. Those watching the sky in the Northern Hemisphere can expect to see about 10 to 20 meteors per hour between 2 a.m. and 4 a.m., experts at the American Meteor Society said. But sky-gazers in the southern half of the US and the Southern Hemisphere could see many more, EarthSky shared. The Eta Aquariid shower produces swift meteors with persistent, visible trains streaking behind them that can linger for seconds after the meteors zip by, but few bright fireballs, according to the American Meteor Society. The source of the Eta Aquariid meteor shower is Halley's comet. Earth crosses the comet's orbital path each spring between April and May, causing small grains of rock and dust shed by the comet to strike our planet's atmosphere and create a dazzling meteor display. It happens again in October, resulting in the Orionid meteor shower. Halley's comet was last visible streaking across Earth's night sky in 1986, and it will swing back by in 2061 as it travels on a 76-year orbit around the sun. The meteors appear to be coming from the northeastern part of the Aquarius constellation, which contributes to the name of the shower. While the meteors seem as though they're originating from the faint star Eta Aquarii, it's 170 light-years away. The meteors actually burn up just 60 miles (100 kilometers) above Earth's surface, according to EarthSky. If you live in an urban area and want to see the Eta Aquariids, you might want to drive to a place that isn't littered with city lights that will obstruct your view. The darker the skies, the more likely you are to see an increased number of meteors. Find an open area with a wide view of the sky. Make sure you have a chair or blanket so you can look straight up. And give your eyes about 20 to 30 minutes to adjust to the darkness — without looking at your phone — so meteors are easier to spot. Here are peak dates for other meteor showers to anticipate this year, according to the American Meteor Society and EarthSky. Southern Delta Aquariids: July 29–30 Alpha Capricornids: July 29–30 Perseids: August 12–13 Draconids: October 8–9 Orionids: October 22–23 Southern Taurids: November 3–4 Northern Taurids: November 8–9 Leonids: November 16–17 Geminids: December 12–13 Ursids: December 21–22
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Halley's Comet to set off meteor shower Monday night
The second and final meteor shower of spring is about to peak, an event that is linked to one of the most well-known objects in our solar system. The meteor shower, known as the Eta Aquarids, is expected to reach its full strength on the night of May 5-6 and will be visible around the world. Halley's Comet connection Meteor showers create dazzling displays when Earth travels through fields of debris left behind by comets or asteroids. These particles, often no larger than a pebble or grain of sand, burn incredibly bright as they enter the planet's atmosphere to create a "shooting star." The debris that causes the Eta Aquarids has been traced back to Halley's Comet, left behind during its past journeys around the sun. Comet P/Halley as taken March 8, 1986 by W. Liller, Easter Island, part of the International Halley Watch (IHW) Large Scale Phenomena Network. (Image/NASA) Halley's Comet is also responsible for the Orionid meteor shower, which peaks in October. Meteor shower viewing tips The early May meteor shower is the best of the year for stargazers in the Southern Hemisphere, where it can spark up to 50 meteors per hour, according to the American Meteor Society. The Eta Aquarids isn't as active north of the equator, but it can still produce 10-30 meteors per hour in the sky across North America, Europe and Asia. Like many meteor showers, the best time to look for shooting stars is during the second half of the night before the light from the morning sun starts to appear in the eastern sky. The Milky Way and three meteors in the sky over a lake. (Getty Images/j2chav) One common misnomer about meteor showers is that you need to focus on a specific area of the sky to see the event, specifically its radiant point. However, that is not the case. "Meteor shower radiants are sometimes misunderstood by casual meteor-watchers," EarthSky explained on its website. "You don't need to know where they are to watch a meteor shower. That's because the meteors fly every way across the sky, in front of numerous constellations. However, the higher a shower's radiant appears in your sky, the more meteors you're likely to see." If you see a meteor and trace it backwards, it should point toward the constellation Aquarius, which is near the radiant point of the Eta Aquarids. This will rise in the eastern sky late in the night. The next meteor showers after the Eta Aquarids are the Alpha Capricornids and the Southern Delta Aquarids, which both peak on the night of July 29-30.
Forbes
18-04-2025
- Science
- Forbes
Halley's Comet Meteor Shower Starts This Weekend — Here's When To Watch
The Eta Aquariid meteor shower will begin on Saturday, April 19, 2025, peaking in the early hours of Tuesday, May 6. It's known for its bright and fast-moving shooting stars resulting from Halley's comet, the most famous comet of all, which was last in the inner solar system in 1986 and is due back in 2061. The Eta Aquariid meteor shower — the result of Halley's comet, pictured above — will begin on ... More Saturday, April 19, 2025, peaking in the early hours of Tuesday, May 6. Though beginning this weekend and active until May 28, the Eta Aquariids meteor shower will peak overnight on Monday, May 5 and Tuesday, May 6, when observers could see up to 60 shooting stars per hour. The Eta Aquariids are the result of Earth busting through the dust and debris left in the inner solar system by Halley's Comet. This famous comet, which orbits the sun once every 76 years, last passed by Earth in 1986 and won't be seen again until 2061. Each year in May (and again in October for the Orionid meteor shower), Earth moves through its debris trail, with meteors entering Earth's atmosphere at speeds of 40 miles/second (66 kilometers/second). That's among the fastest of any meteor shower. As the meteoroids collide with Earth's atmosphere, they burn up, releasing energy as photons of light that observers below see as brief streaks across the sky. The high velocity of Eta Aquariid meteors often creates long, glowing trails, sometimes lasting a few seconds. The radiant point of the Eta Aquariids lies in the constellation Aquarius, near its bright star, Eta Aquarii. This area of the sky rises in the southeast in the early hours after midnight. Although the meteors will appear to radiate from this point, they can occur anywhere in the night sky. As for any meteor shower, an unobstructed view of a clear and dark sky is required for maximum effect, with light pollution and moonlight reducing the number of shooting stars seen. Consult a light pollution map, visit a Dark Sky Place or go camping on public lands. The best time to view this meteor shower is between 3 a.m. and dawn when the night sky is darkest and Aquarius is highest, but shooting stars could be seen any time after dark — even in the early evening. That peak night will have shooting stars battling strong moonlight in the early evening, with a 64%-lit waxing gibbous moon in the night sky, but it will be out of the night sky in time for the predicted peak between 3 a.m. and dawn on Tuesday, May 6. Halley's Comet is named after Edmund Halley, an English astronomer who plotted its orbit in the 17th century. One of the few comets that can theoretically be seen twice during one human lifetime, it orbits the sun every 75-79 years. On December 9, 2023, it reached 35 Earth-sun distances past the orbit of Neptune, as far as it ever gets from the sun (its aphelion), and began its journey back to the inner solar system. It will next be visible from Earth in the summer of 2061. The next meteor shower after the Eta Aquariids will be the Southern Delta Aquariids, which peak around July 29-30, overlapping with the more famous Perseid meteor shower in August.
