Aquariid

The eta Aquariid meteor shower, active throughout April and May, is set to peak on May 5 with an impressive outburst year, featuring 120-160 meteors per hour. Despite the full moon’s brightness, the shower’s fireballs, caused by Earth encountering debris from Comet Halley, make it worth watching. Credit: AMS Elizabeth WarnerThe eta Aquariid meteor shower, peaking on the morning of May 5, promises an outburst year with up to 160 meteors per hour. Despite the full moon, bright fireballs make it worth watching, especially in…

There's something wonderful about sitting under the night sky, watching a meteor shower play out overhead. However, observers in the Southern Hemisphere usually get the short end of the stick, with most of the best showers strongly favoring those north of the equator.  Every May, however, southern observers get a special treat – the Eta Aquariid meteor shower. This year conditions promise to be perfect, making it the ideal opportunity for some autumnal meteor observation.The forecast peak for this year's Eta Aquariids…

There's something wonderful about sitting under the night sky, watching a meteor shower play out overhead. However, observers in the southern hemisphere usually get the short end of the stick, with most of the best showers strongly favouring those north of the equator.Every May, however, southern observers get a special treat – the Eta Aquariid meteor shower. This year conditions promise to be perfect, making it the ideal opportunity for some autumnal meteor observation.The forecast peak for this year's Eta Aquariids…