By
Written in SCIENCE he
If you are a lover of astronomical phenomena During the month of May we will be able to appreciate a new meteor shower to light up the night sky. After having witnessed the lyrids in the month of April, now comes the turn of the meteor shower Eta Aquarids They are caused by debris left behind by Halley’s Comet. Here we leave you all the details of what day will be its maximum brightness and the time in which they can be seen from Mexico.
According to the National Astronomical Observatory, the meteor shower Eta Aquarids It takes place every year between April 19 and May 28, however, its peak for those interested in seeing this show will be between May 6 and 7. That will be the time between 40 and 85 meteors per hour can be seen.
The meteor shower Eta Aquarids It will be viewable in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, with higher visibility rates for viewers in the Southern Hemisphere. This is due to the location of the radiant in the constellation Aquarius. The meteorites can be observed after midnight, but the peak hours are from 3 to 4 in the morning until dawn.
What does it take to see the Eta Aquarids meteor shower?
The National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) recommended that to see the meteor shower Eta Aquarids either from a place clear of view, without the presence of buildings, trees or mountains and away from the lights of the city. Once in place, it can take 15-20 minutes for your eyes to get used to the dark
Furthermore, it is important to underline that the Eta Aquarids they can be seen in any part of the sky, so “it is convenient to direct the gaze towards the darkest areas, in the opposite direction to the position of the Moon if the observation is made when it is present”.
Why does this meteor shower occur?
The meteor shower Eta Aquarids they are fragments of Halley’s Comet 1/P, which orbits the Sun every 76 years and was last seen from Earth in 1986. Every year around this time, the planet passes through a ring populated with the broken fragments of Halley’s Comet .
The origin of its name lies in the star ‘Eta Aquarii’, which experts have confirmed its location 184 light years from the Solar System in the constellation Aquarius. When one of these fragments comes into contact with the Earth’s atmosphere, it is calcined by friction with the air, which causes that luminous glow that we know as a meteor or shooting star to be created.
Follow Heraldo Binario on Google News, give him CLICK HERE.