Eta Aquarids
Would you like to see a piece of Halley’s Comet? Now’s your chance! Each spring as Earth passes through the debris trail from Halley’s Comet (1P/Halley), the cosmic bits burn up in our atmosphere and result in the annual Eta Aquarid meteor shower. In 2011 the peak will occur on the night of May 5 and into the morning of May 6. A dark new moon on May 3 will help darken the night skies for a good viewing experience, with meteor rates of about 40-60 meteors per hour under ideal conditions. Ideal viewing conditions are a dark, clear sky away from city lights, especially just before dawn.
On May 5, you can join NASA experts for a live Web chat to observe this year’s Eta Aquarid meteor shower. Make plans to stay “up all night” with NASA experts from 11 p.m. EDT (May 5) until 5 a.m. EDT (May 6). For this overnight Web chat, NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center will attempt to establish a Ustream view of the skies over Huntsville, Ala. So get ready to help NASA watch the skies!
Joining the chat is easy. Simply return to this page a few minutes before the chat begins. The chat module will appear at the bottom of this page. After you log in, wait for the chat module to be activated, then ask your questions!
