ETA AQUARIDS
Night sky observers will have a special treat this week: debris from Halley’s Comet’s tail will set the stage for a meteor shower which should delight the naked eye with streaks of shooting stars. According to NASA, Eta Aquarid meteors are known for their speed. Traveling at about 148,000 mph into the Earth’s atmosphere, fast meteors can leave glowing “trains” which last for several seconds to minutes. These trains are really incandescent bits of debris in the wake of the meteor. In general, 30 Eta Aquarid meteors can be seen per hour during their peak.
don’t expect to see Halley’s Comet itself for a while. Halley takes about 76 years to orbit the sun once. The last time Halley was seen by casual observers was in 1986; it won’t enter the inner solar system again until 2061.
While the comet won’t be on display for another 40 years, the Eta Aquarids should put on a good show around Earth.
@thewonderofspace
