Houston, Texas – Skies across the U.S. could sparkle overnight as the Eta Aquarid meteor shower, fueled by debris from Halley’s Comet, reaches its peak late Monday into early Tuesday. Stargazers may catch up to 30 meteors per hour before dawn—especially in areas with clear, dark skies.
According to the American Meteor Society, the Eta Aquarids will be most visible during the early morning hours of May 6, as Earth passes through a stream of dust left by Halley’s Comet. The best viewing window opens after 2 a.m. local time and continues until twilight, with the radiant rising higher in the southeastern sky near the constellation Aquarius.
Cities across the South—including Houston, Miami, and Atlanta—are well-positioned for viewing if cloud cover stays light. In the Midwest and along the East Coast, scattered clouds could pose challenges, but breaks in overcast skies may still offer fleeting views of the celestial show.
Observers are encouraged to head away from streetlights, give their eyes 20–30 minutes to adjust to the dark, and skip the telescope—meteors are best seen with the naked eye. No need to look in a specific direction; meteors can streak across any part of the sky.
While not the strongest shower of the year, the Eta Aquarids are prized for their swift, bright meteors and connection to Halley’s Comet. The next major sky event for U.S. viewers will arrive in late July with the Southern Delta Aquarids.
Will you be watching the skies tonight?
