Look Up! The Halley's Comet Meteor Shower Is Just About to Peak
ScienceAlert • • science
Key Points:
- The Eta Aquariids meteor shower, caused by Earth passing through debris from Halley's Comet, will peak around May 4 to 6, 2026, with the best viewing time around 4 am local time on May 5.
- Observers in the Southern Hemisphere can expect up to 60 meteors per hour, while Northern Hemisphere viewers may see about 10 per hour, with some interference from a bright waning gibbous Moon.
- The radiant point of the shower is near the constellation Aquarius, which will rise in the east as the Moon sets in the west, allowing viewers to reduce moonlight glare by turning away from the Moon or using objects to block its light.
- The Eta Aquariids will continue until late May, providing extended opportunities for meteor viewing even after the peak, with less moonlight interference as the month progresses.
- Upcoming meteor showers include the southern Delta Aquariids, Alpha Capricornids in July, and the highly anticipated Perseids in August, which will peak under a new Moon for optimal viewing conditions.
