They return, inevitable and beautiful, the Eta Aquaridithe shooting stars More numerous and shining of spring, expected on May 5th and 6th. But the swarm is actually for several days, so we can hope for a large number of meteors even a few days before and a few days after the peak. We prepare one Long wish list!
According to what is reported byAmerican Meteor Society The peak is officially scheduled for May 5 at 17.00 Italian time, but in reality this meteoric swarm extends over several days (it is active from April 15 to May 27). But observation is certainly more likely in the hours preceding the dawn (especially of 5 and 6 May).
Indeed The moon will be in the first quarter on May 4th at 3:52 pm Italian time and later we will have our satellite in the growing phase in the sky after midnight, before hers sunset a few hours before dawnthen when the sky is darker and therefore more favorable to observation.
In addition, the radiant, or the point from which it seems that the falling stars start, will rise in the early hours of the morning, reaching its highest point at dawn.
The point is located in the Aquarium constellation And it seems almost to align with the weak star Eta aquariifrom which the swarm takes its name (on the map the Heaven of 6 May 2025 at about 5.00).
To be honest, these meteors are more visible in the southern hemisphere, where the frequency is comparable to that of Perseid or of the Geminidiremaining above the 35 meteors/HR for a few days, while from this part of the world the radiant is lower on the horizon and therefore the observation window is more limited, but the ETA Aquarids are so numerous that – time permitting – not even we should have many difficulties.
Let’s prepare the desires!
Sources: Earthsky / Earthsky / YouTube / American Meteor Society
