Astronomy is best celebrated in May. Nights are pleasant, spring constellations are beautiful, and early risers are greeted with a meteor shower.
Earth encounters cosmic fluff left behind by the renowned Halley's comet, the source of the Eta Aquariids meteor shower, as the month begins.
The rain reaches its broad peak one week prior to and one week after May 5.
An viewer at a dark sky location might anticipate seeing up to thirty meteors per hour before morning darkness arrives, making the Eta Aquariids one of the most constant showers of the year.
Locate a dark spot with a clear view to the east; the fading crescent moon shouldn't hinder visibility too much.
The radiant, the point from which the shower seems to be emanating, is located close to the dim star Eta Aquarii, which ascends in the east sky at approximately 3 a.m.
This year, the brilliant planet Saturn will be in close proximity, so keep an eye out for it to enjoy the best spectacle.
As the sun sets in the west at dusk, we say goodbye to the last of the winter constellations.
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