Meteor shower
Eta Aquariids 2027: when and where to see them
The Eta Aquariids peak on the night of 5–6 May 2027. Under a dark sky you could see up to 50 meteors an hour.
Is it clear for the Eta Aquariids tonight? Check your sky- Peak night
- 5–6 May 2027
- Meteors an hour (ZHR)
- up to 50
- Best time
- before dawn
- Moon
- 0% lit
- Radiant
- Aquarius
- Speed
- 66 km/s
The Moon this year
It is a new Moon, so the sky is as dark as it gets. A very good year.
About the Eta Aquariids
The Eta Aquariids are debris from Halley's Comet. They are best from the southern hemisphere and the tropics, where the radiant climbs high before dawn. From central Europe the radiant rises only shortly before sunrise, so you see a handful of long meteors skimming up from the horizon.
Where to look
The meteors seem to fly out of a point in Aquarius, the radiant, but they can appear anywhere in the sky. Look about halfway up, at a wide area of sky away from the Moon and street lights, and give your eyes 20 minutes to adjust to the dark.
How to watch
- Get away from town lights if you can. A dark sky shows several times as many meteors.
- Lie back on a mat or a reclining chair, so you can watch a big piece of sky without craning your neck.
- Keep your phone away, or use a red screen: one glance at a bright screen undoes your night vision.
- Dress warmly and be patient. Meteors come in bursts, with quiet spells in between.
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