Eta Aquarids Meteor Shower
In 2022, the Eta Aquarids will peak on the night between 6–7 May.
The annual Eta Aquariid meteor shower will hopefully be visible on Saturday and Sunday morning if there are clear skies. While the weekend marks the peak of the shower, it may also be visible on the days previous and following, as the Eta Aquarids have a broad peak.
The shower will be visible around 3am when the radiant rises above the horizon, and then get increasingly more visible during dawn until twilight.
The predicted rate will get up to 20 meteoroids per hour over the weekend.
Why are they named the Eta Aquarids?
The radiant, the point in the sky where the Eta Aquarids seem to emerge from, is in the direction of the constellation Aquarius. The shower is named after the brightest star of the constellation, Eta Aquarii.
The Eta Aquarids is one of two meteor showers created by debris from Comet Halley. The Earth passes through Halley’s path around the Sun a second time in October. This creates the Orionid meteor shower, which peaks around 20 October.
Comet Halley takes around 76 years to make a complete revolution around the Sun. The next time it will be visible from Earth is in 2061.
What time will we be able to see the Eta Aquarids?
Use the table on Timeanddate.com to see when the Eta Aquarids are active each day and the position of the radiant in the sky for the upcoming night. Make sure to use the date drop down to change dates and check that the location is set to Adelaide.
How to See the Eta Aquarids:
Timeanddate.com have some tips for viewing the shower.
- You don’t need special equipment to view the shower. All you need is a clear sky and patience.
- Find a secluded viewing spot, away from the city lights. You’ll see more away from city lights but you can also see them in the suburbs. Once at the venue, your eyes may take 15 to 20 minutes to get used to the dark.
- Dress for the weather, and make sure you are comfortable, especially if you plan to stay out long. Bring a blanket or a comfortable chair with you. Meteor watching takes patience and waiting.
- Once you have found your viewing spot, lie down on the ground and look at the sky. Use Interactive Meteor Shower Sky Map to find the direction of the radiant; the higher the radiant is above the horizon, the more meteors you are likely to see.
- Meteor showers appear to originate from the radiant, but meteors can appear in any part of the sky.
For more information and all enquiries please visit the Timeanddate.com website
At Play & Go Adelaide we make every effort to provide accurate information to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication. We recommend confirming times, dates and details directly before making any plans as details may be subject to change.
Image Source: Timeandate.com website
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