--- title: Eta Aquarid Meteor Shower: How to Watch in 2017 description: Tonight will be the best time to view the Eta Aquarid meteor shower for anyone willing to stay up late enough canonical: https://time.com/4768780/meteor-shower-what-to-know/ author: TIME article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2017-05-05T19:04:31.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T07:54:20.980Z article:section: Science og:title: What to Know About the Eta Aquarid Meteor Shower og:description: The meteor shower will be most visible from 4 to 5 a.m. on Saturday og:url: https://time.com/4768780/meteor-shower-what-to-know/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltd3c725d0692046ee/6988cc25656a3fb390bcfdbd/gettyimages-588663534.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 5000 og:image:height: 2813 og:image:alt: mete-r=shower-visible og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: What to Know About the Eta Aquarid Meteor Shower twitter:description: The meteor shower will be most visible from 4 to 5 a.m. on Saturday twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltd3c725d0692046ee/6988cc25656a3fb390bcfdbd/gettyimages-588663534.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 video:duration: 04:11 video:published: 2016-08-09 section: video topics: night photography, Milky Way, landscape photography, photo planning, Dark Sky Finder, Photopills, tripods, full frame cameras, long exposure, light painting genre: tutorial, instructional tones: enthusiastic, reflective, practical, calm emotions: passion (high), wonder (medium), determination (low) sentiment: positive audience: photography enthusiasts, aspiring night photographers, landscape photographers, hobbyist photographers people: Stuart Palley products: Dark Sky Finder, Photopills transcript_source: publisher captions transcript_reviewed: not applicable ---  # What to Know About the Eta Aquarid Meteor Shower > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: August 2026. ## TIME Future Proof: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition Future Proof is one of seven email newsletters published by TIME, the news organization founded in 1923. Making sense of the climate and energy economy. Future Proof examines the forces transforming energy and climate, and what those changes mean for business, technology, policy and the global economy. Senior correspondent Justin Worland goes beyond traditional climate coverage to connect the energy transition to the bigger decisions reshaping companies, markets and society. 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Future Proof is TIME's weekly climate and energy newsletter, written by senior correspondent Justin Worland. It connects the energy transition to the decisions reshaping business, technology, policy and markets. #### Where can I follow the energy transition as a business story? Future Proof covers climate and energy as an economic and business story rather than only an environmental one. It publishes every Friday and is free at time.com/newsletters. #### Who writes Future Proof? Justin Worland, a senior correspondent at TIME and an award-winning climate journalist, writes Future Proof. #### Is Future Proof free? Yes. Future Proof is free at time.com/newsletters. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-futureproof-2026q3/newsletters?i=ee3623bf-2585-42df-b971-0ee5f615ef88&cr=time-nl-futureproof-2026q3-v1) ## Video: How to Photograph at Night [Watch (HLS stream): How to Photograph at Night](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/UkEDGERp.m3u8) (4:11)  _Published 2016-08-09. Photographs by Stuart Palley_ Description, summary, key points, chapters, key quotes, questions and transcript, where present, were produced automatically from the video or its captions and were not reviewed. ## Summary Photographer Stuart Palley explains how he approaches night photography, including capturing the Milky Way and landscapes, with an emphasis on scale. He covers planning apps used to time shoots, the importance of a sturdy tripod and a full frame camera, and starting settings such as ISO 1600 and a 30 second exposure. He also discusses red-filtered headlamps, light painting with LED lights, and treating the work as a creative process. ## Key points - Night photography is described as ten times harder in cold, dark, tiring conditions, so scouting locations in advance is recommended. (00:47) - Palley says about 90% of night photography is preparation and 10% is execution. (00:57) - Photographers should stay open-minded because conditions may change and photos may not turn out as planned. (01:08) - Dark Sky Finder is an app that maps how bright or dark places are. (01:33) - Photopills superimposes a 3-dimensional view of the sky based on location and shows times for darkness, twilight, sunrise and sunset. (01:43) - A tripod is critical for longer night exposures because natural shake and movement blur images. (02:09) - A full frame camera gives a wider angle of view and better high ISO capability, with ISO 1600 and a 30 second exposure suggested as a starting point. (02:25) - A headlamp or flashlight with a red filter lets photographers see at night while retaining night vision more strongly. (03:05) ## Chapters - [00:00 to 00:35] Why Palley loves night photography. Palley describes his attraction to night photography, including capturing the Milky Way and the sense of scale. - [00:35 to 01:33] Preparation and an open mind. Palley stresses scouting, preparation and staying open to changing conditions at night. - [01:33 to 02:09] Planning apps for night shoots. Palley explains the Dark Sky Finder and Photopills apps for planning timing and darkness. - [02:09 to 03:05] Gear and starting settings. Palley covers the importance of a tripod and a full frame camera, plus starting ISO and exposure settings. - [03:05 to 03:24] Using red light at night. Palley recommends a red-filtered headlamp or flashlight to preserve night vision. - [03:24 to 03:36] Light painting with LEDs. Palley describes light painting with LED lights to fill in the foreground. - [03:36 to 04:11] Photography as a creative process. Palley encourages photographers to pursue subjects that resonate emotionally and to become fully absorbed in creating. ## Key quotes - [00:05] Stuart Palley: "I fell in love with photographing at night both for how cool the product looks and how beautiful the pictures can be" - [00:57] Stuart Palley: "90 % of it is preparation and 10 % of it is the actual execution." - [01:08] Stuart Palley: "I think the biggest thing when you're photographing at night is to be open minded." - [02:25] Stuart Palley: "The other important investment you want to make is a full frame camera because it gives you a wider angle of view" - [03:05] Stuart Palley: "It's good to have a headlamp or a flashlight that has a red filter or a red lense" - [04:02] Stuart Palley: "totally focused and 100 % in on creating something that is wholly uniquely yours." ## Questions this video answers - How should photographers prepare for a night photography shoot? [00:57] - Which apps can help plan night photography shoots? [01:33] - Why is a tripod important for night photography? [02:09] - What camera gear is recommended for night photography? [02:25] - What starting camera settings are suggested for night shots? [02:34] - What kind of light helps photographers see at night without losing night vision? [03:05] by [Lisa Marie Segarra](https://time.com/author/lisa-marie-segarra/) ## Lisa Marie Segarra May 5, 2017 7:04 PM UTC  SPRUCE KNOB, WV - AUGUST 12: In this NASA handout, a 30 second exposure of a meteor streaks across the sky during the annual Perseid meteor shower August 12, 2016 in Spruce Knob, West Virginia. The annual display, known as the Perseid shower because the meteors appear to radiate from the constellation Perseus in the northeastern sky, is a result of Earth's orbit passing through debris from the comet Swift-Tuttle. (Photo by Bill Ingalls/NASA viaGetty Images) SPRUCE KNOB, WV - AUGUST 12: In this NASA handout, a 30 second exposure of a meteor streaks across the sky during the annual Perseid meteor shower August 12, 2016 in Spruce Knob, West Virginia. The annual display, known as the Perseid shower because the meteors appear to radiate from the constellation Perseus in the northeastern sky, is a result of Earth's orbit passing through debris from the comet Swift-Tuttle. (Photo by Bill Ingalls/NASA viaGetty Images) Photograph by Bill Ingalls—Getty/NASA by [Lisa Marie Segarra](https://time.com/author/lisa-marie-segarra/) ## Lisa Marie Segarra May 5, 2017 7:04 PM UTC The [Eta Aquarid meteor shower](http://time.com/4319508/watch-live-stream-online-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](https://qz.com/976711/how-to-watch-the-eta-aquarids-meteor-shower-created-by-the-debris-of-halleys-comet/), 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](http://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/everything-you-need-to-know-eta-aquarid-meteor-shower). 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](http://earthsky.org/space/why-more-eta-aquarid-meteors-in-southern-hemisphere), 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](http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2017/05/skywatching-guide-may-meteors-moons-planets-science/), 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](https://www.slooh.com/#/shows/event-details/423?%5Fk=c7w1dv) for members. ## What are are the Eta Aquarids? The Eta Aquarids are pieces of debris from [Halley’s Comet](http://time.com/3627652/comets-earth-water/), which is only visible from Earth every 76 years, [according to NASA.](https://blogs.nasa.gov/Watch%5Fthe%5FSkies/tag/eta-aquarids/) Debris from Halley’s comet also creates the [Orionid meteor shower ](http://time.com/3528768/orionid-meteor-shower-live/)in October. The Eta Aquarid meteor shower was first suspected around 1868 and confirmed in 1900, according to NASA. ## Transcript [00:00] [ MUSIC ] [00:05] I fell in love with photographing at night both for how [00:09] cool the product looks and how beautiful the pictures [00:12] can be to see this capture of the milky way when [00:16] it's brilliance. So, this is placed in a different light that's [00:18] not day light. Its all about capturing the sense of scale [00:23] that photographing the Earth or the sky at night [00:26] creates. [ BLANK_AUDIO ] [00:35] Iceland is an environment very much where nature is [00:39] always present. [ INAUDIBLE ] [00:47] [ MUSIC ] Timing the photograph and neither certainly [00:49] a critical aspect. It is literally ten times harder when it's [00:53] cold and you're in the dark and tired And fumbling [00:56] around for stuff and looking for views. So always try [00:57] and scout things out in advance if you can. 90 % [01:02] of it is preparation and 10 % of it is the actual [01:04] execution. I think the biggest thing when you're [01:08] photographing at night is to be open minded. [01:11] Sometimes conditions are going to change and your [01:13] pictures are not going to turn out How you thought [01:16] despite the biggest amount of planning both with [01:18] equipment and logistics and weather. And that's [01:20] something you just have to live with. And you have to [01:24] enjoy the pursuit and the process of it. [ MUSIC ] [01:33] There's a few apps I like to use to plan my shoots. The [01:36] first app that I use it's called Dark Sky Finder which is a [01:39] map of how bright and how dark places are. I also [01:43] use an app called Photopills and it actually [01:46] superimposes a 3- Dimensional view of the sky based [01:49] on your location and where you are. It'll also show you [01:52] when it will be completely dark, twilight, sunrise, or [01:55] sunset so it's a very robust and useful... Useful app for [01:58] a lot of the timing that is needed to pull off these night [02:01] shots. [ MUSIC ] [02:09] Here, natural shake and movement will make image [02:11] the blurry so having a tripod is critical for longer [02:14] exposures at night. I've had the same tripod for nine [02:18] years. and I've beaten it up. It's been all over the world [02:21] with me and it's well worth the investment. The other [02:25] important investment you want to make is a full frame [02:27] camera because it gives you a wider angle of view and [02:30] also better high iso capability. Start [02:34] with an iso of 1600 and an exposure of 30 seconds to [02:38] see how you need to change the exposure to properly [02:41] Create your vision and the image. When you take a [02:45] long exposure you're essentially capturing all that light [02:47] over period of time so what the camera showing is [02:50] even more enhanced and what we're seeing with the [02:52] human eye. The technology and the tools are just [02:55] means to put the vision that's in my mind into to reality [02:58] [ MUSIC ] [03:05] Generally speaking I will photograph just under [03:07] starlight. It's good to have a headlamp or a flashlight [03:11] that has a red filter or a red lense because the red [03:14] light allows you to see at night but also retain your [03:16] vision more strongly. [ MUSIC ] [03:24] What I like doing too is doing some basic light painting. [03:26] But I prefer to use a LED light and sometimes [03:30] fill in the foreground. [ MUSIC ] At the [03:36] end of the day, this [03:40] is a creative process. And you don't want to get stuck [03:43] into one method. Document or photograph things that [03:46] have a resonance with you. If you feel an emotion to it, [03:50] or a reaction to it. that might be worth capturing. You [03:55] want to be so in the zone that you are losing track of [03:58] time, that you're totally focused and 100 % in on [04:02] creating something that is wholly uniquely yours. 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