Peak rate
50
meteors per hour at peak
ActiveApr 19 – May 28
The Eta Aquariids
Halley's Comet debris; favors the Southern Hemisphere.
Peak: Wednesday, May 6, 2026
Countdown to peak
8days
Velocity
66
km/s entering atmosphere
Radiant
Aquarius
Look here
Best for
South
hemisphere
Where to look
Meteors radiate outward from a single point on the sky. Face Aquarius, then keep the radiant in your peripheral vision.
RA 338°right ascension
Dec -10°declination
Equatorialfavours south
Where it comes from
Parent body
Comet 1P/Halley
The comet or asteroid whose dust Earth passes through each year.
First recorded
1870
Earliest documented observation.
Entry velocity
66 km/s
Speed at which meteoroids hit the atmosphere.
How to watch
Radiant
Aquarius
The apparent point of origin — meteors streak outward from here.
Best viewing time
Pre-dawn (radiant rises late)
When the radiant is highest above the horizon.
Hemisphere
Southern — best from Australia, S. America, Africa
Latitude bands that see the highest rates.
Did you know
Very fast meteors — leave glowing trails for several seconds. Rates up to 85/hr from southern tropics.
Watching guide
Tailored for the Eta Aquariids.
- 1Get away from city lights
Light pollution hides most meteors. A rural or dark-sky site boosts your count by 5× or more.
- 2Dark-adapt for 20–30 minutes
Your eyes need time to reach peak sensitivity. No phone screens during this window — use a red flashlight if needed.
- 3Aim for the best time: pre-dawn (radiant rises late)
Earth turns into the debris stream during these hours, so meteors hit head-on and appear more frequent.
- 4No telescope, no binoculars
Meteors appear all over the sky — you want the widest view possible. A reclining chair and a blanket are better tools than optics.
Next shower after Eta Aquariids
Perseids · peaks Aug 12