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Although the Moon is bright, step outside early this morning to see if you can spot some fast-moving meteors left behind by Comet Halley.
Although the Moon will interfere, look east in the hour before dawn for bright Eta Aquariid meteors. Neptune is above the horizon but a challenge even with optical aid, so not shown here. Credit: Astronomy: Roen Kelly
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May 5: Catch Egeria in motion
The Eta Aquariid meteor shower peaks this morning, unfortunately with a gibbous Moon in the sky. But even though moonlight will interfere, if the weather is mild and you’re able to get up early, it’s worth stepping outside to see if you can clock a few of the shower’s brighter streaks.
Early morning is the best time to look for meteors, as at that time your location on Earth is turning into the stream. An hour before sunrise, the shower’s radiant in northern Aquarius is more than 20° high in the east. Under dark skies, up to 50 meteors per hour are expected, but with the Moon’s interference, that number will drop. Nonetheless, the brightest meteors should still be visible. The Eta Aquariid shower is known for its fast-moving meteors, with some dust particles streaking through the atmosphere at speeds of 40 miles per second (65 km/s).
Generated by debris left behind by the world-famous Halley’s Comet, The Eta Aquariids have a sibling shower in October: the Orionids, also produced by Halley’s debris. Unfortunately, the Orionids won’t offer a better show, as the Moon will exhibit roughly the same illumination, albeit waxing rather than waning, when that shower peaks later this year.
Sunrise: 5:54 A.M.
Sunset: 8:00 P.M.
Moonrise: 12:12 A.M.
Moonset: 9:01 A.M.
Moon Phase: Waning gibbous (76%)
*Times for sunrise, sunset, moonrise, and moonset are given in local time from 40° N 90° W. The Moon’s illumination is given at 10 P.M. local time from the same location.