Why is it in the news?
- The Eta Aquariid meteor shower, active since April 15, will peak on May 5 and 6, featuring burning space debris moving at speeds of around 66 km per second.
More about the news
- Best visible in the Southern Hemisphere, particularly countries like Indonesia and Australia, these showers originate from the Aquarius constellation.
- Comets, frozen leftovers from the formation of our solar system, produce meteor showers as Earth passes through their orbital plane, interacting with debris left behind.
- The Eta Aquariid meteor shower is unique for its rapid speed, resulting in long, glowing tails lasting several minutes.
- About 30 to 40 Eta Aquarid meteors per hour can be seen during the peak from the Southern Hemisphere, while this number decreases to about 10 per hour in the Northern Hemisphere.
- In the Northern Hemisphere, Eta Aquarid meteors often appear as ‘Earthgrazers’, while in the Southern Hemisphere, they are seen higher up in the sky.
