Where to see the annual Eta Aquariid meteor shower and penumbral lunar eclipse in South Australia, 2023

A rare double event of a meteor shower and lunar eclipse is expected to put on a stunning show over SA this weekend. Here’s when you’ll best be able to see it.

A rare double event of a meteor shower and lunar eclipse is expected to light up South Australia’s skies this weekend.

The annual Eta Aquariid meteor shower and penumbral lunar eclipse will pay us a visit, the meteor shower peaking all weekend and the eclipse in the early hours of May 6.

UniSA astronomer Mary Adam said the annual meteor shower can be seen with the naked eye from Friday through to Sunday between 3am and sunrise.

Eta Aquariid Meteor Shower.

“The shower happens every year and it's the Earth passing through the debris of Comet Halley,” Ms Adam said.

“It will peak this weekend so Friday night, Saturday night and possibly Sunday night you’ll be able to see about 10 to 30 meteors an hour.”

Ms Adam said the meteors are known for their speed and can travel up to 50,000km an hour.

“This is what happens when comets get close to the sun, they heat up and let a lot of their debris go and they leave this trail as they come in and orbit the sun,” Ms Adam said.

“The closer people are to the city the less they will see as light pollution is a real problem … it’s best to go somewhere dark without any street lighting.”

A bat flies past the penumbral lunar eclipse. Picture: @zaksphotographyau / Instagram

The meteor shower will be something to get up for and witness, however the eclipse will only be slight and hardly noticeable, said Ms Adams.

“If anything you may notice a slight darkening, but that’s about it,” she said.

“It’s not going to be a red eclipse, I would get up for the meteor shower but not for the eclipse.”

The eclipse will happen in the early hours on Saturday, but Ms Adams said if you want to see a beautiful moon spectacle check it out on the horizon about 5am.

“It’s worth getting up to see the moon close to the horizon, the moon goes this beautiful orange colour when it’s low in the sky … the eclipse isn’t going to be much, you really won’t notice it.”