If you oftentimes find yourself transfixed by the beautiful night sky, you’re in for a treat tonight!
On the night of 6th-7th May, Malaysians will be able to experience the Eta Aquarids meteor shower.
While this natural light show is usually active between 19th April – 28th May, the Eta Aquarids just passed its peak (5th-6th May). During its peak, the meteor shower can reveal up to 50 meteors per hour, as reported by timeanddate.com.
The Eta Aquariids is one of the two meteor showers that originate from Halley’s comet. The Orionids, Aquarids’ sister shower, will peak in October according to the New York Times. What makes Halley’s comet so special is that it takes 76 years to make a full revolution around the Sun so the next time it will be visible from Earth is in 2061!
But for now, you can still stand a chance to watch the Eta Aquarids tonight! The peak time to witness this spectacular natural phenomenon tonight is between the wee hours of Thursday morning from 2:42 a.m. till sunrise on 7th May. While you won’t need any special equipment to view this meteor shower, you will need lots of patience and a good spot that’s away from the city lights. Give yourself 15-20 minutes for your eyes to adjust to the dark and you’re good to go!
Experiencing a meteor shower for the first time can be exciting. However, visibility conditions are also dependent on the weather and moon rise of the particular night so do take these into consideration as you wait up or rise early to catch a glimpse of the radiant sky.
Who are you watching the Eta Aquarids with? Share it with someone who’d be interested!
Also read: M’sians Will Be Able To See 8 Meteor Showers in 2020! Here Are The Dates To Look Out For
