What to Know About the Eta Aquarid Meteor Shower

The Eta Aquarid meteor shower will be a sight to see on Friday night (and early Saturday morning) for anyone willing to stay up late enough.

The meteor shower, which was created by debris from Halley’s Comet, will travel across Earth in April and May, according to Quartz, but will be most visible this weekend. Here’s what you need to know about how and where to see the shower.

When is the best time to watch the meteor shower?

The annual, week-long meteor shower is expected to be at its most visible during early Saturday morning, according to EarthSky. Conditions will be best when the moon sets just before 4 a.m. EST, leaving an hour of total darkness before the sun rises.

Since the meteor shower is above the equator, according to Earth Sky, the best views will come from that area. People located further north will be still be able to catch the meteor shower, though they may see fewer meteors go by, according to EarthSky.

How can I watch the meteor shower?

The meteor will be best seen when looking east near the constellation Aquarius, where the meteor gets its name from, according to National Geographic. Tonight there will be up to 50 meteors going by in an hour, EarthSky reports.

For those who can’t a good view in person, a live stream will be available on Slooh.com for members.

What are are the Eta Aquarids?

The Eta Aquarids are pieces of debris from Halley’s Comet, which is only visible from Earth every 76 years, according to NASA. Debris from Halley’s comet also creates the Orionid meteor shower in October. The Eta Aquarid meteor shower was first suspected around 1868 and confirmed in 1900, according to NASA.