One of the spring’s busiest meteor showers, called the Eta Aquarids, peaks this weekend. To catch the “falling stars,” just go out and look at the southern night sky.
The Eta Aquarids reached their approximate peak Friday morning (May 6), and will continue to put on a strong showing in the coming days, hitting up to 30 meteors per hour. These meteorites are known for their speed, reaching about 148,000 mph (just over 238,000 km/h) when they hit our atmosphere, NASA said.
The shooting stars originated from Comet Halley (1P/Haley), a short-range comet swaying through the inner comet. Solar System Every 75 to 76 years and then come around 2061. During these visits, the comet leaves behind its calling card – a debris trail of dust grains that Land During the month of May every year. Bits of debris that hit our atmosphere will burn harmlessly before they reach Earth.
This meteor shower can be seen best from the southern hemisphere or near the equator, but you can still catch a glimpse of meteors in the hemisphere, said Bill Cook, who leads NASA’s Meteor Environment Office at the agency’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Alabama. North. .
Cook said in a report NASA Post Wednesday (May 3).
For the best meteor view, go out around 3 a.m. local time after moon made. While the meteors in the constellation Aquarius originate near the celestial equator, it is best to look at the height of the sky (straight up) so you can see as many meteors as possible.
Choose a safe location and bring a lawn chair to reduce neck strain. Stay away from as many lights as possible and try to get out at least 20 minutes before you want to search for meteors, to allow your eyes to adjust to the darkness, According to NASA. If you want to use your phone or a flashlight, apply a red filter or red tape so you don’t spoil your night vision.
Astrophotographers wishing to capture meteors should consult Beginner’s guide On our sister site, Space.com. If you can, try to practice taking pictures at night before peak viewing, so you have a chance to check your settings and make sure your shots look the way you want them to. Happy fishing!
Editor’s note: If you took an amazing meteor photo and want to share it with Live Science readers, send your photo(s), comments, name and location to [email protected].
Follow Elizabeth Howell on Twitter @howellspace.
