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Look up! Rare meteor shower set to dazzle skies over Spain

Jessica Jones
Jessica Jones - [email protected]
Look up! Rare meteor shower set to dazzle skies over Spain
Photo: David Kingham/Flickr

One of the most important meteor showers of the year will be visible throughout Spain this week... no telescope needed!

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The Eta Aquarid meteor shower will peak on the night between Thursday May 5th and Friday May 6th and will be visible to the naked eye across Spain. 

The rare shower is one of two major meteor showers created by debris from Halley’s Comet - one in spring and one in autumn.

 

 

The next time Halley’s Comet will be visible from Earth will be in 2061, but you can catch a glimpse of its debris this week across Spain.

Experts say the best time to witness the shower is at around 4am, when you should look towards the southeast - near to the constellation Aquarius.

Amateur astronomers can expect to spot between 20 and 30 meteors an hour, while the maximum number could reach 60 per hour on the night of May 5th-6th according to experts.

In the same area of sky the planet Neptune will be visible through telescopes, a rare and unusual sight over Spain.

You do not need special equipment to watch the shower, but it is best seen from a dark area free of light pollution. 

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