Eta Aquarid meteor shower peaking over UK this weekend

Published: 10:36 AM May 6, 2022

The last meteor shower of the spring is peaking this weekend.

The Eta Aquarid meteor shower is active between April 19 and May 28.

The best time to spot it this weekend is when the sun is about 15 degrees below the horizon.

It will be most visible between midnight and dawn.

Stargazers could be able to spot up to 55 meteors per hour, each with a velocity of about 66km a second.

The best way to spot meteors is to avoid the light of the moon and go outside about 20 minutes early so your eyes can adjust.

This shower is associated with Halley's Comet, the well-known phenomenon only seen from Earth every 76 years. 

Meteors from the Eta Aquarid shower are known for their speed and being low in the sky, so wide open spaces are best to spot them.

The moon is currently in its first phase, reaching the first quarter on May 8, and the International Space Station will be visible until May 19

The next meteor shower won't be until August, with the Perseids shower.