This week, space debris from Halley's Comet will whizz across the sky, and you might be able to see it. That's because Eta Aquarids meteor shower will peak this month.
According to Space.com, it will peak overnight on Wednesday, May 4, and Thursday, May 5.
NASA said the meteor shower is notable for its speed. The meteors may fly up to 148,000 miles per hour into the atmosphere.
TOPSHOT - The milky way and meteors of the April Lyrids annual meteor shower are seen in the night sky over Burg auf Fehmarn on the Baltic Sea island of Fehmarn, northern Germany, on April 20, 2018.
Eta Aquariids: See Halley's Comet Debris This Month
Every year around this time, pieces of dust and other debris left behind by Halley's Comet collide with Earth's atmosphere and shoot across the sky before being extinguished.
Every 76 years, the renowned space snowball rushes around the sun and into the inner solar system, bringing new dust with it. All of that cosmic dust has collected over the millennia, forming such a massive cloud that the meteor shower's peak appears to stretch for days.
According to NASA, the Eta Aquariids, named after the constellation Aquarius, are derived from the debris of Halley's Comet. The well-known comet is seen from Earth every 76 years. The comet was last seen in the skies in 1986, and it won't be seen again until 2061.
The meteor shower will peak on Thursday evening until early Friday, according to CNET, but because of its broad peak, the next night is likely to be just as thrilling.
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Even after this weekend, if you're in a good spot, you might be able to see a few meteors every hour until May 10.
How to See Celestal Phenomenon
It's advisable to go somewhere far away from the city or street lights to get a better glimpse of the Eta Aquarids, or any other meteor shower for that matter. Because the Eta Aquarids have a somewhat limited viewing window, it may be beneficial to arrive a little earlier to allow one's eyes to adapt before the event begins.
It takes around 30 minutes for the eyes to acclimate to the darkness before they begin to see meteors. According to NASA, even minor light exposures, such as those from passing automobiles or cell phones, can disrupt a person's continuing adaption process. Therefore, it's important to avoid intense artificial lights.
It's also a good idea to bring a lot of patience and set up plenty of time for viewing to make the most of the occasion. The American Meteor Society suggests giving it at least one hour.
"You may see no activity for 10-15 minutes and then a many meteors within a few minutes. If you limit [you] watch to less than an hour, you may witness one of those short lulls and be dissatisfied with your results," AMS said in a blog post.
Bringing a sleeping bag, blanket, or chair might help make the viewing experience more pleasant. NASA suggests resting flat on one's back.
If you are not available in the evening when the meteor shower peaks, you can check out the skies in the days leading up to and following the event, since the activity is supposed to last "for a week" surrounding the peak.
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