The Eta Aquarids meteor (also sometimes spelled Aquariids) is a meteor shower-made up of debris from Halley’s Comet in 1986. Meteoroids are broken off remnants of comets. The pieces burn up in the atmosphere and leave blazing trails of light
The best days to see the meteors are between May 5th and May 7th. The best time to see the meteors is between midnight and two a.m. The meteors are also best seen in the southern hemisphere, however these are visible elsewhere. The meteors are visible from about April 19th to May 28th.
It is estimated that there are 50 meteors visible per hour in the Eta Aquarids meteor shower. The best way to see the meteor shower is to get the farthest way away from artificial light sources. Waiting 30 minutes for people’s eyes to fully adjust to the dark is suggested.
There is no need for binoculars or a telescope to see the meteor shower, just lie back to see as much sky as possible. Clear skies, high altitudes and slim moons are best viewing conditions, as it will give the clearest view.
The meteor shower is an annual occurrence each May. NASA estimates the meteor velocity as 44 miles per second. The meteors travel about 148,000 mph into Earth’s atmosphere. The point in the sky from which the Eta Aquarids appear from is the constellation Aquarius. One of the brightest stars in the constellation is Aquarii and the meteors appear from it. That is how the Eta Aquarids got its name.