Current:Home > MyThe Eta Aquarid meteor shower, debris of Halley’s comet, peaks this weekend. Here’s how to see it-LoTradeCoin
The Eta Aquarid meteor shower, debris of Halley’s comet, peaks this weekend. Here’s how to see it
View Date:2024-12-23 16:14:43
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Eta Aquarid meteor shower, remnants of Halley’s comet, peaks this weekend. And with just a waning crescent moon in the sky, it should be visible.
The Eta Aquarids occur every year in early May. This year’s peak activity happens early Sunday with an expected 10 to 30 meteors visible per hour in the Northern Hemisphere. Viewing should be even better in the Southern Hemisphere. The shower lasts through May 27.
Here’s what to know about the Eta Aquarids and other meteor showers.
What is a meteor shower?
Multiple meteor showers occur annually and you don’t need special equipment to see them.
Most meteor showers originate from the debris of comets. The source of the Eta Aquarids is Halley’s comet.
When rocks from space enter Earth’s atmosphere, the resistance from the air makes them very hot. This causes the air to glow around them and briefly leaves a fiery tail behind them — the end of a “shooting star.”
The glowing pockets of air around fast-moving space rocks, ranging from the size of a dust particle to a boulder, may be visible in the night sky.
How to view a meteor shower
Meteor showers are usually most visible between midnight and predawn hours.
It’s easier to see shooting stars under dark skies, away from city lights. Meteor showers also appear brightest on cloudless nights when the moon wanes smallest.
The Southern Hemisphere will have the best view of Eta Aquarids, but a waning moon just 14% full will allow for clear viewing in both hemispheres, according to the American Meteor Society.
When is the next meteor shower?
The meteor society keeps an updated list of upcoming large meteor showers, including the peak viewing days and moonlight conditions.
The next big one is the Southern Delta Aquarid meteor shower, which peaks in late July.
___
The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
veryGood! (4)
Related
- Florida education officials report hundreds of books pulled from school libraries
- The 10 Best Backless Bras That Stay Hidden and *Actually* Give You Support
- AI expert says Princess Kate photo scandal shows our sense of shared reality being eroded
- Vice President Harris, rapper Fat Joe team up for discussion on easing marijuana penalties
- GM recalls 460k cars for rear wheel lock-up: Affected models include Chevrolet, GMC, Cadillac
- Connecticut trooper who shot Black man after police chase is acquitted of manslaughter
- Absurd look, serious message: Why a man wearing a head bubble spoofed his way onto local TV
- Watch as staff at Virginia wildlife center dress up as a fox to feed orphaned kit
- Are Ciara Ready and Russell Wilson Ready For Another Baby? She Says…
- Dozens feared drowned crossing Mediterranean from Libya, aid group says
Ranking
- What Happened to Kevin Costner’s Yellowstone Character? John Dutton’s Fate Revealed
- 2024 NFL free agency updates: Tracker for Friday's biggest buzz, notable contracts
- Madison LeCroy Shares the Item Southern Charm Fans Ask About the Most
- Jurors weigh fate of Afghan refugee charged with murder in a case that shocked Muslim community
- 1 monkey captured, 42 monkeys still on the loose after escaping research facility in SC
- Boeing plane found to have missing panel after flight from California to southern Oregon
- Cara Delevingne's LA home, featured in Architectural Digest tour, consumed by 'heavy' fire
- Could Bitcoin climb to more than $1 million before 2030? Cathie Wood says yes.
Recommendation
-
Police cruiser strikes and kills a bicyclist pulling a trailer in Vermont
-
Prosecutors seek from 40 to 50 years in prison for Sam Bankman-Fried for cryptocurrency fraud
-
Weekly ski trip turns into overnight ordeal when about 50 women get stranded in bus during snowstorm
-
New bill seeks to strengthen bribery statute after Sen. Menendez accused of taking gold bars, cash for official acts
-
Golden Bachelorette: Joan Vassos Gets Engaged During Season Finale
-
Energy Department conditionally approves $2.26 billion loan for huge lithium mine in Nevada
-
The Supreme Court won’t intervene in a dispute over drag shows at a public university in Texas
-
Arizona authorities say a road rage incident led to a motorist’s death. The other man was arrested.