Watch the Eta Aquariids Meteor Shower in the UK this Weekend

The Eta Aquariids meteor shower will reach its peak this weekend. The chance to see this stunning show in the night sky comes on the heels of the historic coronation.

The meteor shower is, in some ways, an offshoot of Halley’s Comet. The shower separated from the comet centuries ago and though Halley’s Comet itself doesn’t come close enough for us to see its meteors, the Eta Aquariids are visible every year.

It is actually one of two meteor showers that were created by the debris from Halley’s Comet. You’ll have to wait half a year to see the Orionid meteor shower, though, which rolls around in October.

When to watch the Eta Aquariids Meteor Shower

The show peaks this weekend, giving a chance for night owls and early risers to potentially see the shower. Unlike a lot of other meteor showers, though, this has quite a broad peak, and will still be visible at a similar level at times between now and May 28th.

The name comes from the Aquarius constellation, which is where the shower appears to radiate from. It could be visible between midnight all the way through to when the sun comes up, but the peak is likely to be at around 4.30 to 5 in the morning. One to set your alarms for.

This shower isn’t quite as spectacular as some others, especially in the Northern Hemisphere. You may see around 10 meteors per hour, but this number is much higher in parts of the Southern Hemisphere. Still, every meteor shower is a significant event and well worth viewing if you can. 

If you plan to watch the shower, make sure that you find a place with minimal light pollution. As always, give your eyes a while to adjust to the light, which means turning off torches and mobile phones, too.