The Eta Aquariid meteor shower really favours the southern hemisphere, where the moon doesn’t get in the way. ‘Fast meteors can leave glowing “trains” (incandescent bits of debris in the wake of the meteor) which last for several seconds to minutes. It’s more likely that sky watchers here will see about 10 meteors per hour during the best nights. Meteor shower 2020: The Eta Aquarids will peak in the first weekl of May this year, ‘Big mistake’ Why scientist was stunned by Einstein discovery, UFO sighting: ‘Spaceship’ seen entering Mexican volcano, 'UFO exiting Mexican volcano is 100 percent proof of aliens', Space weather warning: Earth being hit by solar storm, Starlink Tracker: How to watch SpaceX's Starlink satellites, Watch: A huge fireball shoots over Europe, Does Planet Nine exist? The meteor shower has been going on above our heads for a couple of weeks, and runs roughly from April 19 – May 28. The Royal Observatory Greenwich in London said: " and will appear low in the sky for Northerly latitudes (such as the UK) in the early predawn hours. The Orionids peak in mid-October each year, although the best time to catch them is expected to be on Wednesday 21 October around midnight. “The dust grains eventually become the Orionids in October and the Eta Aquarids in May if they collide with Earth’s atmosphere.”. Meteor shower UK: After the Lyrids, the Eta Aquarids will arrive next, Meteor shower UK: The Lyrids are one of the smaller meteor showers this year, Lyrids meteor shower 2020: NASA cameras capture stunning fireballs, Asteroid news: Astronomer films the 4KM Asteroid OR2 due to pass Earth, Venus sighting: How to spot Venus in the night sky this month. Express. The Eta Aquarids will arrive hot on the heels of the Lyrids, with individual shooting stars already visible at night. Stargazers will be treated to a spectacular display of shooting stars with the return of the Orionid meteor shower this week. The shower should be viewable until dawn, if the weather is clear, so there’s plenty of time to enjoy the spectacle if you’re brave enough. A meteor shower occurs when Earth passes through a stream of tiny pieces of debris left behind by a comet. newspaper archive. You won’t need any special equipment to see the meteors, just a warm coat and a lot of patience. latest news, feel-good stories, analysis and more, Humans to be deliberately infected with Covid in UK to speed up vaccine, Confused by 5G? Many are now wondering when the next meteor shower will appear over the UK. After the spectacle of last month’s Lyrid meteor shower, skywatchers have another treat in store this week as the Eta Aquariids get underway. Another person tweeted: "Think I captured a meteor on camera #lyridmeteorshower. Down there it’s possible to see up to 40 meteors an hour, but up here in the UK we’ll have to adjust our expectations a bit. If the weather is clear, there could be up to 25 shooting stars per hour on Wednesday as our skies are lit up by the spectacular cosmic event. The meteor shower is named after its radiant point near the constellation Aquarius. A cloudy night could still scupper your chances of spotting any meteors, however, so keep your eye on weather forecasts. The small particles create the light trail across the night sky as they burn up in our atmosphere.. After the spectacle of last month’s Lyrid meteor shower, skywatchers have another treat in store this week as the Eta Aquariids get underway. The second shower arrives in October and is known as the Orionids. Unfortunately, this is also the time when the night sky will be filled by a full waxing gibbous moon shining brightly. Interestingly, we also pass through the tail of the comet later in the year – which gives rise to the Orionid meteor shower. DON'T MISS...Starlink Tracker: How to watch SpaceX's Starlink satellites [INSIGHT]Watch: A huge fireball shoots over Europe [VIDEO]Does Planet Nine exist? SpaceX satellites spark fear of alien visit to UK. However, unlike the Lyrids, the Eta Aquariid meteor shower won’t be as easy to see even as it peaks this week. order back issues and use the historic Daily Express According to Nasa, Orionids are known for their brightness as well their speed. The moonlight could interfere with your ability to spot the meteors as they streak across the sky. Our universe is magnificent.". So when are the Eta Aquarids this year and what can you expect from the spectacle? "Nevertheless, it should still be possible to see the shower in the eastern sky, even when the radiant is below the horizon.". The most meteors will be flying just before dawn on Tuesday, 5 May and Wednesday, 6 May. ‘These meteors are fast – travelling at about 148,000 mph (66 km/s) into Earth’s atmosphere. ", A third stargazer said: "It was amazing to watch the #LyridMeteorShower. The orbital debris slams into our atmosphere at great speeds and the meteors burn up before they reach the ground. What the new Covid restrictions mean, What time Boris Johnson is delivering his next Covid-19 announcement today. Orionids Meteor Shower 2020: how to watch the shooting stars display from the UK - and when it will peak in October By Alex Nelson Monday, 19th October 2020, 1:04 pm But when, where and how can you see the Orionid meteor shower this year? Eta Aquarii is one of the stars in the northern part of the constellation and that’s where the name comes from. Earth happens to cross paths with the comet's orbit twice a year, producing the Eta Aquarids and Orionids. This shower favours the Southern Hemisphere. Every year around April and May we pass through the orbital path of Halley’s comet and dust and rock smashes into the Earth’s upper atmosphere at nearly 150,000mph. The shower is due to peak this week but you’ll have to get up early if you want to catch this one, as it’s been lighting up the skies just before dawn. As they fall towards us, they leave behind glowing trails of ionised gas. The Lyrid meteor shower peaked on Tuesday night (April 21), scattering a handful of shooting stars across the skies every hour. All rights reserved. This is the podcast that will change that, Nasa space probe successfully grabs a chunk of asteroid Bennu, It takes eight years to get diagnosed with endometriosis, new research says, Google’s ‘hum to search’ feature actually works, Tens of millions of people ‘will refuse to be vaccinated against Covid-19’, Orionids Meteor Shower peaks tonight – where to see shooting stars above the UK, Nudes of thousands of innocent women created by AI deepfake bot. More specifically, the shower is named after the star Eta Aqaurii in Aquarius. Sleeping under the open sky with the universe presenting the meteor shower.. with stars and planets in the background. According to Nasa: “Each time that Halley returns to the inner solar system its nucleus sheds ice and rocky dust into space. Home of the Daily and Sunday Express. Eta Aquarii is visible to the naked eye from Earth. Although the annual meteor shower is one of the smaller ones, stargazers under lockdown welcomed the display of fireworks. Meteor shower 2020: The Eta Aquarids will peak in the first weekl of May this year (Image: GETTY) READ MORE ‘Big mistake’ Why scientist was stunned by Einstein discovery The Orionids peak in mid-October each year, although the best time to catch them is expected to be on Wednesday 21 October around midnight… The Eta Aquariid meteor shower is caused as the Earth moves through the debris caused by Halley’s comet. Perhaps not, after all, NASA Moon landing SHOCK: What Apollo 11 found during radio BLACKOUT, UFO sighting on NASA ISS live stream - alien hunters in shock claim, UFO invasion? Be patient—the show will last until dawn, so you have plenty of time to catch a glimpse.’, Get your need-to-know One person said on Twitter: "Witnessing last night's meteor shower still feels like a dream.". READ MORE: Space weather warning: Earth being hit by solar storm. The Eta Aquarids are one of the two showers created by the debris from Comet Halley. It appears as though the particles originate from an area near Orion, the constellation which gave the phenomenon its name. Orionids can be seen with the naked eye so there’s no need for binoculars or a telescope, but you will need to be patient. However, the … Chromecast with Google TV (2020) review: Now with a remote. See today's front and back pages, download the newspaper, ‘In general, 30 Eta Aquarid meteors can be seen per hour during their peak.’. Eta Aquarid meteors are known for their speed,’ explains Nasa. The Eta Aquariid meteor shower derives its name because if you trace the origins of the meteors as they fall, they appear to come from the constellation of Aquarius. ‘Lie flat on your back with your feet facing east and look up, taking in as much of the sky as possible. ‘The Eta Aquarids peak during early-May each year. Covid tier map shows the areas of England subject to each level of lockdown restrictions, Pope backs civil unions for same-sex couples, backing 'right to be part of family', Boiling a litre of water in a plastic kettle 'releases 10m microplastics into tea and coffee', Can you have a support bubble in Tier 2 and Tier 3? Meteor shower UK: What are the differences between asteroids, comets and meteors? The radiant is the apparent point from which a shower appears to emerge from. If you’re going to try and see them, it’s best advised to try and blot out the moon with the side of a building or some other obstacle to give you a clearer and darker view of as much of the sky as possible. The Royal Museum of Greenwich advises stargazers to bring a comfy chair to sit on and some warm clothes as you could be outside for a while. Nasa explained: ‘To view the Eta Aquarids find an area well away from city or street lights. As the space rock races around the Sun, bits and pieces of the comet break off and are left behind in the comet's tail. Orionids are fast, travelling at about 148,000 mph (66 km/s) into the Earth’s atmosphere, which allows them to leave glowing “trains” which last for several seconds. Here’s what you need to know. Eta Aquarid meteors crash into our atmosphere every year from about April 19 until the end of May. Although the meteors can be seen in all parts of the sky, for the best conditions you’ll need to find a location away from street lights and other sources of light pollution and in a wide open space where you can scan the night sky with your eye. What time is the Eta Aquarid meteor shower? The Eta Aquarids meteorshower will peak over the nights of Tuesday and Wednesday, May 5 and 6, shortly after midnight, with experts anticipating a spectacular meteor shower. They are often considered to be “one of the most beautiful showers of the year”. Come prepared with a sleeping bag, blanket or lawn chair. Sorry, there was a problem with your subscription. When is the best time to see the Orionid meteor shower? Eta Aquarids crash into our atmosphere at speeds of about 70km per second or 156,586mph. As many as 50 meteors an hour will appear during the peak. © 2020 Associated Newspapers Limited. "Not entirely convinced it wasn't a satellite though as I was busy checking the bushes behind me for demogorgons. The Eta Auqarids are the first of two showers produced by the periodic Comet Halley.