As Earth orbits the sun, it passes through the debris trails of known comets and asteroids, resulting in several annual meteor showers. Two of these events are about to reach their peak. The , originating from comet C/1861 G1 Thatcher, will be visible from April 17 to 26, primarily in the Northern Hemisphere’s night sky. Shortly after, the Eta Aquarids, stemming from Halley’s Comet, will make their first appearance around April 20 and peak in early May. Neither of these events requires any special equipment to enjoy.

How to see the Lyrids

The Lyrid meteor shower, while not the most prolific astronomical event, is expected to produce an average of 15 meteors per hour at its peak on the night of April 21 into April 22, given favorable conditions. In the preceding and following days, the rate will be about five meteors per hour. The Lyrids’ radiant point, near the constellation Lyra, will be visible in the northeast and well above the horizon by midnight. For optimal viewing, find a location with minimal light pollution and a wide sky view, looking towards the east.

The ideal viewing time is from late evening on April 21 until the moon a few hours before dawn on April 22, as recommended by  . After the moon rises, positioning yourself in its shadow can enhance viewing. The Northern Hemisphere offers the best vantage point, but viewers south of the equator may also catch some meteors.

Occasionally, the Lyrid meteor shower experiences outbursts, where the meteor rate significantly increases, though these events are unpredictable. In 1982, observers in Florida reported up to 75 meteors per hour, according to . While such events are rare, they are possible. More commonly, the Lyrids may produce fireballs, exceptionally bright meteors that are occasionally seen during this shower.

The Lyrid meteor shower will be active for just over a week, but the Eta Aquarids, which follow, will offer a month of potential meteor sightings.

How to see the Eta Aquarids

The Eta Aquarid meteor shower, also known as the Aquariid, is one of two annual showers originating from Halley’s Comet (1P/Halley). explains that Halley’s Comet is in a retrograde orbit around the sun, moving in the opposite direction to Earth and the other planets. This results in Earth passing near its path twice, creating the Eta Aquarids on the outbound leg and the Orionids on the inbound leg in October.

The Eta Aquarids are more numerous than the Lyrids, with the first meteors visible around April 20, according to . The shower will be active until May 21, with the peak viewing time from May 5 into May 6, when up to 50 meteors per hour could be seen, compared to about 10 per hour during non-peak times. The Eta Aquarids’ radiant is located in the constellation Aquarius.

Viewers in the Southern Hemisphere will have the best opportunity to see these meteors, which will appear at a higher rate. However, observers in the Northern Hemisphere can still see them, albeit at a lower frequency, and are more likely to see ‘Earthgrazers’ – long meteors skimming the horizon. The Eta Aquarids move at approximately 40.7 miles per second and often leave glowing trails behind them, as noted by NASA.

While Halley’s Comet’s debris enters our skies twice annually, the comet itself, which is memorable for its appearance in an episode of , passes Earth about every 76 years, last doing so in 1986 and scheduled to return in 2061.

Following the Eta Aquarids, several more meteor showers will occur throughout the summer, providing numerous opportunities to see shooting stars. These include the Arietids in early June, the Delta Aquarids starting in mid-July, and the well-known Perseids in mid-August.