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Eta Aquarid meteor shower to peak this week

The Eta Aquarid meteor shower is peaking this week! The morning of May 6 will be the best morning to see up to 50 meteors per hour. This shower will remain active until the end of May, so you might see shooting stars for weeks to come.

The meteor shower is named after the brightest star in the constellation Aquarius, Eta Aquarii. To try and see some activity, head outside after midnight and before dawn on the night of May 5-6. Look to the eastern horizon before sunrise and give yourself some time. No matter what, you’ll be able to see our spring planet line-up of Saturn, Mars, Venus and Jupiter. In the same direction, you might also see some shooting stars radiating.

This meteor shower is caused by debris from Halley’s Comet. The timeframe of 4 a.m. until 7 a.m. will likely be your best window for meteors. This year, there will likely be clouds and even some rain to block our view in the Miami Valley the morning of May 6. Don’t worry, clear skies over the weekend should still give you a chance to see this meteor shower even though it will be past its peak!

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