A meteor shower hits Spain: How and when to see the Eta Aquariids?

The arrival of May begins with the most important meteor shower of this spring, the Eta Aquariids . Although this celestial phenomenon was already visible in Spain on April 19, its peak in the night sky will occur on the night of May 5-6, around 5:00 a.m. on the Iberian Peninsula.

The Eta Aquariids are formed by dust and rock particles left behind by Halley's Comet as it passed through the solar system. These particles, upon contact with Earth's atmosphere, transformed into bright, fleeting trails. They occur annually, with a speed of between 40 and 85 meteors per hour and approximately 66 kilometers per second.

César González, a popularizer at the Madrid Planetarium , explains to EL PAÍS that on nights like this, there is a greater quantity of this type of debris, which is why a greater number of shooting stars can be observed than on any other normal night.

"There's always a peak, that is, the entire area where there's debris, and the Earth passes through that spot this morning," he explains. Although this meteor shower is much more visible in the tropics and the Southern Hemisphere, it can be observed from the Northern Hemisphere, albeit with less intensity, compared to the Perseids, for example .

In Spain, it's possible to observe it from locations far from light pollution, especially on the southern coast, in the Canary Islands, and in rural areas with clear skies. The best time to observe it is early morning, just before dawn, says González.

Experts advise patience and a close look at the sky. Although they originate near the constellation of Aquarius, from where they appear to emerge, they can appear anywhere in the sky. "It's best to lie on the ground and be alert," he says. No telescopes or binoculars are needed, as they can be observed with the naked eye.