May 4, 2020 – Washington Co., WI – Stargazers in Washington County may want to check out the meteor shower tonight, May 4 and May 5.
This is the Eta Aquarids meteor shower. It’s expected to be visible Monday night and in the pre-dawn hours of Tuesday morning.
Neighbors in Wisconsin won’t particularly have the best show as cloud cover could dampen the effect.
Below is a bit more info from accuweather.com
Tips for viewing the Eta Aquarids
No special equipment is needed to watch a meteor shower, although people should pack some patience.
People should also avoid looking toward the moon, which will be above the horizon for most of the night. Looking at the moon can make it harder to see meteors, so try to focus in the darkest part of the sky.
The best time to watch the meteor shower will be after midnight once the shower’s radiant point climbs above the horizon.
The radiant point is simply the part of the sky where the meteors originate, but you do not need to look in this direction so spot meteors. However, as the radiant point climbs higher in the sky, more and more meteors will able to be seen.
Shooting stars from Halley’s Comet
Many of the meteor showers throughout the year are caused by debris left behind by comets when they visit the inner solar system. When this debris enters the Earth’s atmosphere, it burns incredibly bright for a few brief seconds.
“The majority of visible meteors are caused by particles ranging in size from about that of a small pebble down to a grain of sand, and generally weigh less than 1-2 grams,” the AMS said.
The debris that causes the Eta Aquarids is actually dust left behind by one of the most famous comets — Halley’s Comet.
Halley’s Comet only orbits the sun once every 75 years, but each year in early May, the Earth passes through some of the debris that it left behind.
“The Eta Aquarids are one of two meteor showers sparked by Halley’s comet. The other being the Orionids in October. “
