Tonight, debris from Halley’s Comet will fall to Earth
6 May 00:18
The Eta Aquarid meteor shower will soon reach its peak. This is one of the most spectacular celestial phenomena of the year, formed by the fragments of the legendary Halley’s Comet, which returns to us every 76 years. This is reported by ScienceAlert, "Komersant Ukrainian" informs
“From May 5 to May 6, the sky will become the stage for the brightest cosmic “rain” of this year. Particles of cosmic dust, flashing upon entering the atmosphere, will create a fascinating spectacle. The meteor shower itself will last until the end of May, but it will not be as intense. Now is the best time to see it with your own eyes,” experts say.
If you miss the peak, don’t be upset – the meteor shower will be quite active throughout the week and will last until May 28, albeit with a gradual decrease in the number of meteors.
The Eta Aquarids are the remnants of Comet 1P/Galley’s Comet, which returns every 76 years. The radiant of the stream is located near the constellation Aquarius. Up to 50-60 meteors per hour can be observed in the Southern Hemisphere, and up to 30 in the Northern Hemisphere, mostly before dawn.
Meteor showers are a bright phenomenon of the night sky that occurs when the Earth passes through clouds of comet or asteroid debris. These particles, burning up in the atmosphere, leave bright trails visible to the naked eye and repeat every year on the Earth’s orbital path.
