Here is how Australians can catch the Eta Aquariids meteor shower this week

The Eta Aquariids meteor shower is set to light up Aussie skies in a stunning display. Here’s when and where to catch the celestial show.

Aussie skywatchers have an opportunity this week to catch one of the best meteor showers of the Southern Hemisphere.

The Aquariids are famous for being fast and leaving spectacular glowing trails in their wake.

Australia is among the places on Earth where some of the most meteor activity during the Eta Aquariids is visible.

Here’s when and where you can catch the celestial show.

WHAT TIME TO SEE ETA AQUARIIDS METEOR SHOWER?

The Eta Aquariids meteor shower began on April 19 and will continue until late May. At its peak, up to 50 meteors may streak across the sky each hour.

Weather permitting, Australians can expect the best viewing just before dawn on May 8 and continues until May 28. However, the best viewing is in early May.

The best time to view the meteors is in the early morning, just before sunrise, when Aquarius — the constellation from which the meteors appear to radiate — will be positioned highest in the northeast sky.

If you want to catch the most meteors, you should head outside between 3am and 5am local time.

A flight-illuminated path and the Milky Way are appearing in the night sky during the Eta Aquarids meteor shower last year. Picture: Getty Images

WHERE CAN I WATCH THE METEOR SHOWER?

You don’t need any special equipment or a lot of skills to view a meteor shower.

For the best chance of seeing a meteor shower, it’s essential to find a dark location away from city lights.

While city dwellers might catch the occasional Eta Aquariid meteor, those in areas with minimal light pollution could see dozens streak across the sky each hour.

Once you’ve found your viewing spot, lie down and look towards the east. Your eyes may take 15 to 20 minutes to get used to the dark.

Stargazing apps or software will be able to also help you find the star.

Although meteors may not appear immediately, experts recommend staying outside in the dark for at least an hour to improve your chances of spotting them.

Meteors also don’t appear at regular intervals, so you might see none for several minutes, then a burst of activity all at once.

The Aquarids – sometimes spelled as “Aquariids” – are famous for being fast and leaving spectacular glowing trails in their wake.

WHAT CAUSES THE ETA AQUARIIDS?

The Eta Aquariids are an annual meteor shower caused by Earth passing through a trail of debris left behind by Halley’s comet.

Each time Halley’s comet completes its 76-year orbit around the sun, it sheds dust and tiny rock particles.

These fragments linger in space along the comet’s path. From mid-April to late May each year, Earth crosses this stream of debris, and those particles enter our atmosphere at blazing speeds — around 66 kilometres per second.

As they burn up high in the sky, they create the bright streaks of light we call meteors. Because the meteors appear to radiate from the direction of the constellation Aquarius, near the star Eta Aquarii, the shower is named the Eta Aquariids.

Interestingly, this isn’t the only meteor shower caused by Halley’s comet. When Earth passes through another part of the comet’s trail in October, we see the Orionids — another popular annual sky event.

WHAT IS THE MEANING OF ETA AQUARIIDS?

The Eta Aquarids meteor shower appears to radiate from the constellation Aquarius, specifically near the star Eta Aquarii — from which the shower gets its name.

The Eta Aquarids is one of two annual meteor showers caused by debris from Halley’s comet. As Earth passes through the comet’s trail again in October, it creates the Orionid meteor shower, which typically peaks around October 20.

Halley’s comet takes approximately 76 years to orbit the Sun. It was last visible from Earth in 1986 and is expected to return in 2061.