Meteor shower lighting up California skies best seen this week

CALIFORNIA – The annual Eta Aquariid meteor shower will be best seen this week across California skies, according to the Time and Date website.

Although this meteor shower typically lasts from mid-April to late May, Californians will have the best visibility of it on Tuesday, May 6th, between 3 a.m. and 5 a.m., weather permitting.

The Eta Aquariids are known for their fast, bright meteors that often leave glowing trails. During peak conditions, viewers in California might see up to 30 meteors per hour.

Dark skies on May 6th provide the best viewing conditions

A meteor shower is a celestial event where multiple meteors are visible streaking across the sky, all originating from the same area, known as the radiant point.

The Eta Aquariid meteors are named after the star Eta Aquarii because they appear to radiate from the constellation Aquarius, where the star is located.

Even though the moon will be bright on May 6th, it will set before the meteor shower starts, leaving darker skies for the best viewing, according to the American Meteor Society.

No special equipment or skills needed to see shower

Stargazers don’t need any special equipment or a lot of skills to view a meteor shower. Most important is a clear sky, and lots of patience.

Time and Date recommends you find a secluded viewing spot, away from the city lights. Once at the venue, your eyes may take 15 to 20 minutes to get used to the dark.

They also say to dress for the weather, and make sure you are comfortable, as meteor watching can be a waiting game.

Time and Date’s interactive map can help stargazer locate where the meteors will appear in the sky. The higher the radiant is above the horizon, the more meteors you are likely to see.

They also note that although meteor showers appear to originate from the radiant, meteors can appear in any part of the sky.

For the Time and Date interactive map visit https://www.timeanddate.com/astronomy/meteor-shower/eta-aquarids.html