9 May 2023
TOPEKA (KSNT) – If you were outside around 5:30 a.m. this morning you could’ve seen high-speed meteors shooting across the morning sky as part of the Eta Aquarid Meteor Shower.
The meteor shower originating from Comet Halley typically lasts from April 15 to May 27 with peak showers around May 4 to 5, according to the National Aeronautics and Space Adminsistration (NASA). The Eta Aquarid meteors are known for their high speeds reaching up to 148,000 mph and can leave long glowing trails that last for seconds to minutes.
When Halley passes the inner solar system it sheds ice and rock. When the fragments hit the earth’s atmosphere they become the Eta Aquarids in May and the Orionids in October, according to NASA.
The showers can be seen during pre-dawn times in the northern hemisphere with a rate of about 10 meteors per hour. NASA recommends taking in as much of the sky as possible and getting away from city lights. The showers typically last until dawn and are best seen in the east.
The meteor shower radiates from the Aquarius constellation and takes its name from the brightest star in the constellation, Eta Aquarii.