Latest news with #Quadrantids
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Eta Aquarids meteor shower to peak Monday night: How to watch
A meteor shower known for the speed of its shooting stars is expected to peak on Monday, according to astronomers. The Eta Aquarids -- a meteor shower that originates from Halley's Comet -- have been active since April 20. But stargazers can witness maximum activity of the Eta Aquarids Monday night into early Tuesday morning, according to the American Meteor Society. At its peak, the Eta Aquarids can release up to 50 meteors per hour, according to NASA. They are also sometimes nicknamed "Earthgrazers," because they are long meteors that appear to skim the surface of Earth's horizon, according to NASA. They are "swift meteors that produce a high percentage of persistent trains," but produce very little fireballs, according to AMS. MORE: Two meteor showers will happen simultaneously in April, astronomers say The Eta Aquarids are also known for their speed, traveling nearly 41 miles per second through the atmosphere. The best time to see the meteors are before dawn, according to NASA. Viewers in the Southern Hemisphere have a better view of the Eta Aquarids, but they are visible from both hemispheres. To find them, look toward Aquarius, where the radiance of the Eta Aquarids appears to originate from. The moon will around 60% full, so the lunar light likely won't drown out visibility. MORE: Quadrantids, 1st meteor shower of 2025, expected to peak tonight: How to watch Visibility will be spotty in some parts of the U.S., forecasts show. Rain will be sweeping across much of the Northeast during the pre-dawn hours. The eastern Great Lakes into portions of the Ohio River Valley will see scattered showers and mostly cloudy skies, as will much of Texas -- with the addition of thunderstorms. There will also be visibility issues across the Rockies and western Plains, along with a chance of rain, forecasts show. However, the peak of the Eta Aquarids can extend out several days, presenting more opportunities for viewings with an elevated number of shooting stars when skies are clearer. MORE: Geminid meteor shower peaks this weekend in spectacular show: How to watch The Eta Aquarids will be active until May 28, according to AMS. The dust fragments from Comet Halley appear as the Orionids in October if they collide with Earth's atmosphere, according to NASA. For best viewing, NASA advises spectators to lie flat on their back in a region away from light pollution. Meteors should be visible after about 30 minutes, when eyes adjust to the dark. ABC News' Dan Peck contributed to this report. Eta Aquarids meteor shower to peak Monday night: How to watch originally appeared on
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
Time Out
02-05-2025
- Science
- Time Out
The Eta Aquariid meteor shower peaks in the UK this bank holiday weekend
The solar system never fails to provide us here on Earth with magical moments. From the majestic green and pink waves of the northern lights to spooky solar eclipses and spiritually-charged full moons, there's just something about being reminded of our teeny tiny place in the universe that gets us every time. One of the most common celestial events to grace our skies are meteor showers. Last month there was the Lyrids and before that was the Quadrantids. Now, this bank holiday weekend, we're in for another dose of spectacular shooting stars. Here's everything you need to know if you want to catch sight of the Eta Aquariid meteor shower. What is the Eta Aquariid meteor shower? Like all other meteor showers, the Eta Aquariid shower is essentially loads of space debris left behind by comets or asteroids that shoot through the solar system and burn up when they fall through the Earth's atmosphere (at up to 70km per second), creating those dazzling streaks of light that we like to call shooting stars. This particular shower is made up of debris from Halley's Comet, the most famous comet in our solar system. According to Royal Museums Greenwich, the Eta Aquariid shower is typically low in the sky and has a possible hourly rate of 50. It occurs around this time every year and its name comes from the constellation that it appears to radiate from: Aquarius. When is the Eta Aquariid meteor shower? The shower has been active since April 19 and will continue to be until May 28. What is the best time to see the Eta Aquariid meteor shower? The Eta Aquarrids are expected to peak between midnight and dawn on Monday, May 5. Experts also say that it'll be particularly active on Tuesday morning at around 4am. Top tips to see the meteor shower Whenever you want to see a celestial spectacle in its full glory, you should head somewhere with minimal light pollution and an unobstructed view of the horizon (the UK's national parks tend to be a good bet). And, of course, it needs to be a clear night. There's no need to fork out on a fancy telescope, you should be able to see the shooting stars with the naked eye. If you do want a closer look, a pair of binoculars will do the trick. Once you've set up camp, you'll need to be patient. Your eyes will need around 20 minutes to adjust to the darkness (that includes not looking at your phone), then you simply wait and let the magic happen.
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Lyrid meteor shower peaks tonight with hundreds of shooting stars
The annual Lyrid meteor shower will peak on Tuesday, delivering up to 20 shootings stars per hour to the skies over the UK. The Lyrids have been visible since 16 April, but the peak on 22 April will see the highest number of meteors appear since the Quadrantids peaked at the beginning of 2025. The fireball display occurs each year when the Earth passes through the debris trail of Comet C/1861 G1 Thatcher, which orbits the Sun every 415 years. Travelling at 49 kilometres per second, the meteors appear to originate from the northern constellation Lyra, near the bright star Vega. 'The Lyrid meteor shower is set to light up the night,' Nasa's Langley Research Center posted to X. 'Peaking on April 22–23, the Lyrids offer a celestial spectacle with up to 20 meteors per hour.' April is bringing shooting stars 🌠💫 The Lyrid meteor shower is set to light up the night! Peaking on April 22–23, the Lyrids offer a celestial spectacle with up to 20 meteors per hour. — NASA Langley Research Center (@NASA_Langley) April 2, 2025 The best time and place to view the Lyrids is in the pre-dawn hours, well away from any light pollution like street lights. No specialist equipment is needed to view the meteor shower, with telescopes and binoculars actually obscuring the long fiery trails left behind by the space rocks. Patchy cloud over the UK means viewing conditions are not ideal, but the Moon appearing as a thin crescent means there will be minimum light pollution. 'It might take a while for your eyes to adjust to the darkness so be patient,' the Natural History Museum noted. 'You might not see meteors right away so get comfy with a blanket and watch the sky for at least an hour.' The next meteor shower will take place next month, when the Eta Aquarids peak on 5-6 May with up to 40 meteors shooting overhead each hour. Appearing to emerge from the constellation Aquarius, the Eta Aquarids are a result of the Earth passing through the debris from Comet Halley.
The Independent
22-04-2025
- Science
- The Independent
Lyrid meteor shower peaks tonight with hundreds of shooting stars
The annual Lyrid meteor shower will peak on Tuesday, delivering up to 20 shootings stars per hour to the skies over the UK. The Lyrids have been visible since 16 April, but the peak on 22 April will see the highest number of meteors appear since the Quadrantids peaked at the beginning of 2025. The fireball display occurs each year when the Earth passes through the debris trail of Comet C/1861 G1 Thatcher, which orbits the Sun every 415 years. Travelling at 49 kilometres per second, the meteors appear to originate from the northern constellation Lyra, near the bright star Vega. 'The Lyrid meteor shower is set to light up the night,' Nasa's Langley Research Center posted to X. 'Peaking on April 22–23, the Lyrids offer a celestial spectacle with up to 20 meteors per hour.' The best time and place to view the Lyrids is in the pre-dawn hours, well away from any light pollution like street lights. No specialist equipment is needed to view the meteor shower, with telescopes and binoculars actually obscuring the long fiery trails left behind by the space rocks. Patchy cloud over the UK means viewing conditions are not ideal, but the Moon appearing as a thin crescent means there will be minimum light pollution. 'It might take a while for your eyes to adjust to the darkness so be patient,' the Natural History Museum noted. 'You might not see meteors right away so get comfy with a blanket and watch the sky for at least an hour.' The next meteor shower will take place next month, when the Eta Aquarids peak on 5-6 May with up to 40 meteors shooting overhead each hour. Appearing to emerge from the constellation Aquarius, the Eta Aquarids are a result of the Earth passing through the debris from Comet Halley.
