Peak Time for the ETA Aquarids Meteor Shower

In early May, the ETA Aquarids meteor shower is expected to peak as Earth passes through the densest part of Halley's cosmic debris. This phenomenon occurs every year, and the shower is famous for its speedy meteors that streak across the night sky. The Aquarids are the last opportunity to catch a meteor shower for a few months before the next one peaks in late July. With up to 50 meteors visible per hour during peak conditions, this spectacle is a treat for stargazers.

Key Takeaways:

• The ETA Aquarids meteor shower peaks between May 5 and May 6, 2025, as Earth passes through the densest part of Halley's cosmic debris.
• The shower is active from April 19 to May 28, but the best viewing time is during the peak period.
• The Aquarids are best viewed during the dark hours between midnight and dawn, and the meteors are visible from anywhere in the world, but best seen from the Southern Hemisphere.
• Up to 50 meteors can be seen per hour during peak conditions, but north of the equator, the shower typically produces no more than 10 to 30 meteors per hour.
• The Aquarids' parent comet is Halley's Comet, which takes about 76 years to orbit the sun and was last sighted in 1986.
• Each time Halley returns to the inner solar system, its nucleus sheds ice and rocky dust into space that eventually becomes the ETA Aquarids and the Orionids.
• The next major meteor shower is the Southern delta Aquarids and the alpha Capricornids, which are due to peak between July 29 and July 30, 2025.

Statistics:

• Peak time for the ETA Aquarids meteor shower: May 5-6, 2025
• Active time for the shower: April 19 - May 28, 2025
• Best viewing time: Dark hours between midnight and dawn
• Maximum meteors per hour: 50 (during peak conditions)
• Meteors per hour (north of the equator): 10-30
• Orbit period of Halley's Comet: 76 years
• Last sighting of Halley's Comet: 1986

Sources:

• The American Meteor Society
• NASA
• The USA TODAY Network