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SPACE — The annual Eta Aquarids meteor shower will be peaking Wednesday night all across the country.
May 5 is supposed to be the night with the most activity, with a slightly better show overnight between May 4-5 versus overnight between May 5-6, according to NASA. Experts predict about 10-20 meteors per hour on those nights.
The meteors originate from the comet Halley and come around each year in May and again in October, according to NASA.
KSL’s weather forecast calls for partly cloudy skies both nights, but hopefully the skies will clear enough for a good viewing.
Several of Utah’s National Parks have received awards for dark skies that are perfect for stargazing. Capitol Reef and Canyonlands received a Gold Star rank from the International Dark-Sky Association and Bryce Canyon has spectacular views of the stars.
If you can’t make it out to the national parks, at least try to get away from any city lights for optimal viewing. And who knows, maybe you’ll see a giant meteor like many in Utah saw back in November in 2009.
