How to see Eta Aquarids meteor shower 2022 in the UK: What time the meteors peak

Stargazers will be preparing to see some celestial entertainment as the Eta Aquarid meteor shower makes an appearance in our skies.

As the Earth orbits the Sun, it encounters dust and debris from comets and asteroids.

And every April and May, the Earth travels for around six weeks through dust left by the famous Halley’s Comet.

Eta Aquarids are meteor showers created by Halley’s Comet.

What causes the Eta Aquarid meteor shower?

It is one of two meteor showers created by debris from its parent comet – the famous Halley’s Comet – and is named after the brightest star of the constellation, Eta Aquarii.

We pass near Halley’s path twice a year: the first happens now – in early May – which causes the Eta Aquariid meteor shower.

The other time is in late October – that passage causes the Orionid meteor shower.

Comet Halley takes around 76 years to make a complete revolution around the Sun.

It has been observed since the year 240BCE. The next time it will be visible from Earth is in 2061.

What are meteor showers?

These meteors are caused by cosmic debris called meteoroids which enter the earth’s atmosphere at extremely high speeds on parallel trajectories.

Nasa says on its website: “Fast meteors can leave glowing “trains” (incandescent bits of debris in the wake of the meteor) which last for several seconds to minutes.

“Fast meteors can also sometimes become fireballs: look for prolonged explosions of light.”

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How can I see it?

The Eta Aquarid meteor shower is set to peak between May 5 and 6 in 2022, when you will be able to see up to 50 shooting stars per hour.

The best views are likely to happen before dawn but they will be visible until 27 May.

Nasa says the annual meteor shower “has the best rates for those in the Southern Hemisphere, but even in the Northern Hemisphere, if weather conditions are right, there is a possibility of seeing up to 30 meteors per hour”.

Weather conditions should be pretty good for the celestial display. Clear skies are forecast for most parts of the country, but Northern Ireland and Scotland will have some clouds.

According to earthsky.org you do not need special equipment to see meteor showers, but it does recommend seeking out “a dark, open sky away from artificial lights”.

However, there is some luck involved in seeing them.

“Meteor watching is a lot like fishing,” it explains. “Sometimes you catch a good number of them, and sometimes you don’t.”