Get up early to see this week’s Eta Aquariid meteor shower in Kamloops, Okanagan

A waning moon and clear skies should provide some reasonable viewing opportunities for this week’s Eta Aquariid meteor shower.

The greatest number of meteors are expected to fall before dawn on Wednesday, May 5, but the mornings of May 4 or 6 should provide a good display as well.

A waning crescent moon shouldn’t provide a lot of light interference when viewing during the predawn hours of any of the mornings from May 4 to 6, and Environment Canada is forecasting clear skies for the morning of May 5 for Kamloops and Okanagan cities.

The Eta Aquariids are generally a better show in the southern hemisphere, but here in Kamloops and the Okanagan we should be able to view at least 10 meteors per hour.

The best time for viewing is in the hour or two before dawn.

EarthSky.org suggests giving yourself at least an hour to view a meteor shower. It can take 20 minutes for your eyes to adjust to the dark, and meteors tend to come in spurts, interspersed by lulls.

The Eta Aquariid meteor shower is actually made up of debris from Halley’s comet, as the Earth crosses the orbital path of the comet in late April and May. Halley’s comet is also responsible for creating the Orionid meteor shower in October.

To contact a reporter for this story, email Steve Arstad or call 250-488-3065 or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to tips@infonews.ca and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.

We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above.