The Aquarids, a meteor shower famous for its fast-moving space debris streaking across the night sky, is set to peak in early May.
The ETA Aquarids typically reach their peak activity in early May each year as Earth passes through the debris left by Halley's Comet. Following closely after the Lyrid meteor shower, the Aquarids, also known as "Aquariids," mark the last chance to witness a meteor shower for a few months until the next one peaks in late July.
While the Aquarids meteors may not produce bright fireballs, they are renowned for their speed and the spectacular glowing trails they leave behind.
Here is everything you need to know about the ETA Aquarids meteor shower and how to observe it in 2025:
The Aquarids, which became active on April 19, are expected to peak between May 5 and May 6 as Earth passes through the densest part of Halley's cosmic debris, according to the American Meteor Society. Although the meteors may not be as bright post-peak, stargazers may still catch some activity until around May 28.
The Aquarids represent the third major meteor shower of the year, following the Lyrids in April and the Quadrantids in January.
Like all meteor showers, the Aquarids are best observed during the dark hours between midnight and dawn.
The website Time and Date offers detailed information on when and where to witness this phenomenon.
The Aquarids should be visible globally in the sky, barring any obscuring clouds or bright moonlight.
However, the best views of the meteors are from the Southern Hemisphere, as they appear to radiate from the constellation Aquarius, situated higher in the sky in the Southern Hemisphere compared to the Northern Hemisphere.
In the Northern Hemisphere, ETA Aquarid meteors may appear as "Earthgrazers," long meteors skimming the Earth's surface at the horizon, as described by NASA.
Reducing light pollution by moving away from city lights and street lamps can enhance the viewing experience.
The Aquarids meteors travel at speeds of up to about 40.7 miles per second, leaving glowing debris trails that can last for several seconds or even minutes, according to NASA.
Under ideal conditions, up to 50 meteors per hour may be visible during the peak of the shower.
However, north of the equator, the meteor shower typically produces between 10 to 30 meteors per hour.
Meteor showers occur when Earth passes through dusty debris trails left by comets and other celestial objects orbiting the sun. The debris, known as meteoroids, collides with Earth's atmosphere at high speeds, creating fiery streaks in the sky, as explained by NASA.
These stunning celestial displays, often referred to as "shooting stars," are meteors. If meteoroids survive their journey to Earth without burning up, they are termed meteorites, according to NASA.
The parent comet of the Aquarids is the renowned Halley's Comet.
Halley, with an approximately 76-year orbit around the sun, will not be visible again to casual observers until 2061, last appearing in 1986.
Despite its rare appearances to us on Earth, Halley's impact is felt at least twice a year when Earth crosses its debris path. Each return of Halley to the inner solar system results in the shedding of ice and rocky dust into space, forming not only the ETA Aquarids in May but also the Orionids in October.
Next up, the Southern Delta Aquarids and the Alpha Capricornids are set to peak simultaneously between July 29 and July 30, according to the American Meteor Society.
The Capricornids begin activity on July 12, followed by the Southern Delta Aquarids on July 18. Both meteor showers will remain active until August 12.
Eric Lagatta is the Space Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at elagatta@gannett.com