Eta Aquariid meteor shower 2023: what you can expect to see around Australia
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Loading... - Lily Williams
- 05 May 2023
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The beginning of May is marked by a sky show across Australia.
The annual Eta Aquariids meteor shower peaks in the early morning this Friday May 5 and Saturday May 6.
But you need to set your alarm clock. The best time to see them is between 3:00 am and 5:00 am.
The Eta Aquariids are the second best meteor shower of the year for Australian sky watchers, said Jonti Horner, an astronomer at the University of Southern Queensland.
"This year's shower will be a bit of a mixed bag," Professor Horner said.
On one hand, there is the possibility of a lot more meteors than usual, but the shower also coincides with the full moon — and a lunar eclipse — on May 6.
The bright moon will make it harder to spot fainter meteors, said amateur astronomer Ian Musgrave.
"The full moon is on the other side of the sky, but it's still going to drop the rates down," Dr Musgrave said.
Here are his predictions for the number of meteors per hour for each capital city between May 4 and 7. Read More..
