The Eta Aquarid Meteor Bathe Peaks This Week, however a Vibrant Moon May Spoil the Present

This annual occasion, which peaks on the night time of May 5 into the following morning, comes from the path of particles left by Halley’s comet. It’s finest seen from the Southern Hemisphere, however skywatchers within the north can catch a glimpse

Sara Hashemi

| Daily Correspondent

May 4, 2026 4:48 p.m.

May has arrived, which implies it’s additionally time for the height of the Eta Aquarid meteor bathe, an annual affair that’s finest seen from the Southern Hemisphere. However, the moon will likely be 84 p.c full, in keeping with the American Meteor Society, making it tougher to identify fainter meteors.

This yr’s Eta Aquarids—additionally known as the Eta Aquariids—are energetic from April 19 to May 28. The bathe will peak within the night of May 5 into the following morning, when fortunate viewers within the Southern Hemisphere can have an opportunity to see as much as 50 meteors zooming throughout the sky per hour. That quantity will likely be nearer to 10 for Northern Hemisphere stargazers, per NASA.

“For us in the Northern Hemisphere, it’s not going to be as impressive,” says Teri Gee, supervisor of the Barlow Planetarium in Wisconsin, to Adithi Ramakrishnan on the Associated Press. “The farther south you are, the better you’ll see it.”

That’s due to the place the meteors appear to be they’re coming from, some extent within the sky known as a radiant. It’s close to a shiny star within the Aquarius constellation known as Eta Aquarii, which can be the bathe’s namesake. Aquarius is greater within the sky within the Southern Hemisphere than it’s within the Northern Hemisphere, making it and the “shooting stars” it seems to spit out easier to see from the decrease a part of the globe, in keeping with NASA.  

Like most meteor showers, the Aquarids happen when the Earth passes by way of the cosmic particles left behind by a comet. These taking pictures stars come from the famed Halley’s comet, or 1P/Halley, which will get near our house planet roughly each 76 years, and is subsequent due for a go to in 2061. Halley’s particles additionally spawns the Orionid meteor bathe every October.

The Aquarids are identified for his or her pace. The meteors zoom into Earth’s ambiance at round 40.7 miles per second, burning up and leaving glowing “trains” that may final for a number of seconds to minutes, in keeping with NASA.

To have one of the best likelihood of seeing this yr’s present, get exterior throughout the night time of May 5 into the following morning earlier than daybreak. Find someplace darkish with as little gentle air pollution as potential. David Dickinson at Universe Today suggests positioning your viewing spot in order that the moon is bodily blocked from view behind a constructing or hill.

Put your telephone away and let your eyes get used to the darkness for about half-hour. Look toward the east, within the area surrounding the constellation Aquarius. You gained’t want any particular gear like binoculars or a telescope—simply get comfy and keep heat.

“You’re looking for bright streaks that appear in the corner of your eye for a fraction of a second,” says Nico Adams, an astrophysicist with the STEM training nonprofit SSP International, to the AP.

Then, all you will have left to do is benefit from the present. If you miss this one, you possibly can look ahead to the Southern Delta Aquariids’ peak in late July, although these are additionally higher suited to viewers within the Southern Hemisphere. One of the most well-liked meteor showers—the Perseids—may even grace our skies this summer time.