Eta Aquariid meteors: Halley’s dust to light up early May skies

The Eta Aquariid meteor shower peaks overnight May 5–6, 2026, with fast meteors from Halley’s Comet debris. Activity runs April 19–May 28; rates are strongest in the Southern Hemisphere (up to ~50 meteors/hour) and lower in the Northern Hemisphere (roughly 10–30/hour). Meteors travel around 40.7 miles per second (65.4 km/s). A bright 84% full Moon will hinder faint meteors, so the best viewing is before dawn on May 6 with dark skies and naked-eye watching; photos are possible with a good astrophotography camera. The shower is tied to Halley’s debris as Earth passes through it each year, with Halley’s return in 2061.