Meteors will streak across the sky this weekend as Earth passes through debris from Halley’s Comet.
The annual Eta Aquariid meteor shower peaks Sunday evening through Monday morning, but should be visible, weather permitting, through the weekend.
Where to watch the show
You should see the meteors low in the sky if you look east before dawn. They are more easily seen in the southern hemisphere, but you can still spot them in the UK.
Of course, your stargazing may depend on the weather. This weekend is very disrupted.
The Met Office says its “computer models disagree” on where the weather will be worst in the UK.
Their cloud cover map currently suggests that southern England will have the clearest night on Saturday, and most of Wales will have the best chance on Sunday.
If you see clear skies, head out before dawn and get set up.
“Meteor hunting, like the rest of astronomy, is a waiting game,” explains the Royal Observatory Greenwich website.
“It’s best to bring a comfortable chair to sit on and warm up because you might be out for a while.”
You’ll need to allow your eyes to adjust to the dark, so try to move away from sources of light pollution, like streetlights or houses.
Learn more:
What you need to know about NASA and the Chinese space race
Why the South Pole of the Moon is the checkered flag of the Space Race 2.0
What is the Eta Aquariid meteor shower?
Named after Eta Aquarii, the star from which it appears to radiate, the meteor shower occurs every year.
Unlike most large annual meteor showers, there is no clear peak. Instead, it is best to observe them over several days around this time of May.
Meteors are debris from Halley’s Comet.
This is particularly famous because by observing it, astronomers realized for the first time that comets could pass through the solar system multiple times.
When historians looked into the matter, they realized that Halley’s Comet had been spotted by humans for thousands of years. It even features in the Bayeux Tapestry, which recounts the Battle of Hastings in 1066, according to NASA.
Meteors appear in our skies when space debris enters our atmosphere. Their speed means they heat up and start to glow, leaving a trail that we can see when we look at the stars.
