The star shower Eta Aquarids will coincide this year with the Full Moon of May 7 that will almost overshadow this annual meteoric activity.
These meteors are formed by the abandoned material from Comet 1P / Halley that orbits the Sun, and as it follows its path in the Solar System it leaves a cloud of debris.
It happens every year, in the months of April and May. After the lyrids, the Eta Aquarid meteors begin to fall each year from April 19 to May 28 and are at their peak during the first week of May; This year the peak of the rain will be on May 5 and 6, when about 50 meteors per hour enter the atmosphere.
This phenomenon occurs because the Earth passes through the remains left by Halley’s Comet hundreds of years ago. Its radiant (region of the sky where they make their appearance) is located in the constellation of Aquarius, which is observed in an easterly direction during the current season in the southern hemisphere.
In Guayaquil it can be seen from 02:00 to 06:00 on Tuesday, May 5, with greater brilliance, moving away from places with lots of artificial light.
The Eta Aquarids are one of two meteor showers created by debris from Halley’s Comet. Earth passes through Halley’s path around the Sun for the second time in October. This creates the Orionid meteor shower, which peaks around October 20. Halley’s Comet takes about 76 years to make a complete turn around the Sun. The next time it is visible from Earth will be in 2061. (I)
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