The Eta Aquarid meteor shower starts in mid-April each year, and lasts until late May. The phenomenon is caused by debris from Halley’s comet that enters the Earth’s atmosphere.
“Each time that Halley returns to the inner solar system its nucleus sheds a layer of ice and rock into space,” NASA said on its website. “The dust grains eventually become the Eta Aquarids … if they collide with Earth’s atmosphere.”
The Eta Aquarids are known for their speed; the meteors travel into our planet’s atmosphere at about 40 miles per second, according to NASA.
“And because they’re moving so quickly, they can leave behind glowing trails that linger for a moment after the flash,” NASA said.
When can you see it?
The peak of the meteor shower—in other words, the best time to see the most meteors—will be from May 5-6, according to NASA.
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