05/05/2020 16:51
Eta Aquariids meteor shower peaks tonight filling the sky with up to 40 shooting stars
The Eta Aquariids meteor shower will peak tonight, filling the sky with up to 40 shooting stars an hour as Earth passes through the debris trail left by Halley's Comet.
The annual event lights up the sky from the middle of April until the end of May, as meteors shed by the comet hundreds of years ago burn up in the atmosphere, The Daily Mail reports.
Astronomers said that to watch the shower you should 'get a comfy chair' and be prepared to sit outside for hours — but you won't need binoculars or a telescope.
This meteor shower is best viewed in the southern hemisphere, but should be visible from most places on Earth, weather permitting.
The Eta Aquariids are named after the constellation Aquarius as they fall from that point in the sky and specifically the star Eta Aquarii.
'For the best conditions, you want to find a safe location away from street lights and other sources of light pollution,' according to the Royal Museums Greenwich.
The meteor shower will be best viewed in the southern hemisphere but will be visible in the northern hemisphere - just not as clearly.
The Moon will be in its waxing gibbous phase during the peak of the shower but it will be below the horizon before dawn and shouldn't damper the viewing.
When out watching them don't just stare in on direction as you might miss the brightest and most impressive shooting stars off to the side.
The best way to watch for them, according to NASA, is to lie on your back and look straight up as it gives you the widest view of the sky without getting neck strain.
Meteors are pieces of debris that enter the atmosphere at speeds of up to 148,000 miles per hour - as they do so they vaporise and cause streaks of light.