May 5–6: Eta Aquarid meteor shower
The 2023 Lyrid meteor shower peaks on the night between May 5 and 6, 2023. It is easily visible from the Southern Hemisphere or near the equator.
What is Meteor Shower?
Meteor showers appear when crumbs of dust (meteoroids) from asteroids or comets enter Earth's atmosphere at very high speeds.
What are Shooting Stars?
The heat then vaporises most meteors, producing bright streaks of light across the sky, or shooting stars.
Meteor Shower and Shooting Stars
Dust and particles perpetually bombard Earth from all directions occasionally resulting in solitary meteors. What we see are Shooting Stars.
Role of Moon in Meteor Shower
A bright full moon outshines fainter meteors and a new moon provides dark skies ideal for shooting star hunters.
Speed of Meteors
On average, meteors can speed through the atmosphere at about 30,000 mph (48,280 kph) and reach about 3,000 °F.
What are Meteoroids?
Larger meteors that manage to survive the trip through the atmosphere and reach the Earth's surface are called meteorites.
How to Watch Meteor Shower?
Meteor showers are usually best viewed when the sky is darkest, after midnight but before sunrise.