Since the Eta Aquarids meteor shower started on April 19, it has been mesmerizing skywatchers. Galileo’s stellar celestial spectacles, this event is bound to astound. This magnificent annual event will continue to dazzle observers until May 28, so don’t miss out! Look for the best and brightest activity during the pre-dawn hours of May 7, particularly across the majority of Australia.
During its peak, the Eta Aquarids can produce as many as 50 meteors per hour. This stunning sight is why the Perseids are widely considered one of the most exciting celestial events every year. The southern hemisphere, and especially Australia, provide some of the best locations in the world to experience this natural wonder. If you’re lucky enough to have clear skies, enthusiasts can look forward to an amazing scene of meteors streaking across the night sky.
The Eta Aquarids happen twice a year, every May and October, with the October display being called the Orionids. This meteor shower takes its name from the constellation Aquarius, where the meteors seem to come from. The astronomical event is caused by our planet moving through a trail of debris left by Halley’s Comet.
The prime viewing window for Australians is set between 2:00 AM and 5:40 AM on May 7. However, for observers in this vicinity, there will be a likelihood of catching more meteors. In marked contrast, viewers in the northern hemisphere have poor visibility, seeing only about one-fifth of what Australians can see.
Astrophysicist Natasha Hurley-Walker can’t overstate how easy it is to have a good time with the meteor shower.
“You don’t need binoculars, you don’t need a telescope, but dark skies really help. So, if you can, get away from the city lights,” – Natasha Hurley-Walker.
To those thinking about catching this rare display, she recommends making sure you can avoid light pollution by getting away from big cities.
“So make sure there’s not a big suburb or city just north of you that’s going to add extra light to the sky, get away from the city if you can, but it doesn’t have to be a perfectly dark sky,” – Natasha Hurley-Walker.
Of course meteors are all sizes. They can be as small as very fine dust grains, or as large as meter-sized boulders.
“The rocks, they’re pretty small, we’re talking anything from dust grains all the way up to things the size of your fist, or maybe up to maybe a meter across,” – Natasha Hurley-Walker.
If you’re based in Western Australia, read on! Earth’s orbit through this debris field would mean that the highest viewing time could even occur a day earlier than in other parts of the country.
“Because of the way the earth moves through the debris field, the peak in WA will be a day earlier than the rest of the country,” – (Source unspecified).
NASA further points out that southern hemisphere conditions are more favorable to see this meteor shower. In sharp contrast, the northern regions are stacked against much unluckier odds.
“The southern hemisphere is preferable for viewing the Eta Aquarids,” – NASA.
As Earth passes through this cloud of rocky debris, skywatchers will want to time their viewing. Here’s how to make the most out of this celestial showstopper.
“As the earth is moving through that cloud of rocks that is coming from a particular area of the sky, and once we’ve moved through it, the meteor shower will be done for the year,” – Natasha Hurley-Walker.
