BLOG: Out Of This World
By Steven Strouss
Every Spring the Earth passes through the debris of Halley's Comet. The particles and dust of this comet collide with our atmosphere and we see them as meteors burning up in the night sky. Tonight's event will be extra special because the moon phase is nearly new.
This means that the sky will be relatively dark which allows for better viewing. This meteor shower is known as the Aquarids because they appear to originate from the constellation Aquarius. You can expect about 20-40 meteors per hour but the southern hemisphere will see more because Aquarius is higher in the sky there and close to the horizon for our area. For best viewing travel away from city lights and look East before sunrise.
Sunrise Saturday morning is 5:55am.
Make your wish on these shooting stars and enjoy the view!
For more information on the ETA Aquarids you can visit www.spaceweather.com
