Eta Aquarids meteor shower expected to peak in Singapore on May 6 and 7
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For the best chance of spotting a meteor or two, head to open, darker locations such as beaches, parks or reservoirs.
PHOTO: ST FILE
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SINGAPORE – The Eta Aquarids meteor shower, born from the dusty trail of a comet, is set to make its annual appearance in Singapore’s skies next week, with peak activity expected during the early hours of May 6 and 7.
Skygazers might catch a fleeting glimpse of this cosmic event if the weather holds and light pollution does not stand in the way.
On May 2, the Observatory at Science Centre Singapore said a meteor shower takes place when Earth passes through a stream of debris left behind by sources such as comets, asteroids or other planets. These tiny fragments, often no larger than grains of sand, burn up as they collide with Earth’s atmosphere, creating the fast-moving streaks of light called meteors or “shooting stars”.
The Eta Aquarids is an annual meteor shower linked to Comet 1P/Halley, also known as Halley’s Comet.
According to US space agency Nasa, Halley’s Comet is known as the most famous comet due to its historic significance.
Until the 18th century, comets were thought to make only a single journey through Earth’s solar system. That changed in 1705, when English astronomer Edmond Halley used Isaac Newton’s laws of gravity and motion to study comet paths.
He noticed similarities in the orbits of bright comets seen in 1531, 1607 and 1682, and proposed that they were, in fact, the same comet returning over time. He predicted the comet would come back again in 1758 and it did. It became the first known “periodic” comet and was later named in his honour.
Meteors in the Eta Aquarids meteor shower are fast, zipping into Earth’s atmosphere at around 65km per second. Some leave glowing “trains” that can linger for minutes.
When the phenomenon peaks, observers may see up to 50 meteors an hour radiating from the direction of the constellation Aquarius, near the star Eta Aquarii.
The shower is active from April 20 to May 21, but visibility will be highest after 3am on May 6 and 7, when the radiant point is higher in the sky and the bright gibbous Moon has set.
For the best chance of spotting a meteor or two, the Observatory suggests heading to open, darker locations such as beaches, parks or reservoirs.
Those looking to spot meteors in those areas should first allow their eyes 20 to 30 minutes to adjust to the dark. No telescope or binoculars are needed – just patience, clear skies and a little luck.
This cosmic event follows the recent Lyrid meteor shower in April
