The Eta Aquarids meteor shower is about to hit its most active state in 2026.
For the next two nights, skywatchers in Florida and across the U.S. may be treated to a striking annual celestial show as Earth passes through the densest part of debris from the famous Halley’s Comet. The impending peak comes after the Eta Aquarids first became active in April as our planet entered the debris trail left by the comet, which is also the source of the Orionids meteor shower in October.
As the cosmic debris disintegrates in Earth’s atmosphere to create the fiery, colorful meteors – known colloquially as “shooting stars” – spectators can expect to be treated to spectacular glowing trains the Aquarids are famous for leaving in their wake.
Even better? The end of the Eta Aquarids only signals the beginning of summer meteor shower season.
Will a bright moon or clouds spoil the show in 2026? Here’s everything to know about the Eta Aquarids (sometimes spelled as “Aquariids,”) the meteor shower’s impending peak and how you can spot them in Florida.
When is the Eta Aquarids meteor shower?
In 2026, the Eta Aquarids meteor shower is scheduled to last between April 19 and May 28, according to the American Meteor Society.
When is the Eta Aquarids meteor shower peak activity?
The Eta Aquarids meteors will hit their peak in activity May 5-6 as Earth passes through the densest part of Halley’s cosmic debris.
Eta Aquarids meteor shower 2026. How many meteors will be visible?
Aquarids meteors whiz across the sky at up to about 40.7 miles per second. That’s fast enough to leave a glowing trail of debris behind that can last for several seconds or even multiple minutes, according to NASA.
If conditions are right, up to about 50 meteors can be seen per hour during the shower’s peak.
But north of the equator, the meteor shower typically produces no more than 10 to 30 meteors per hour.
Could the moon interfere with the Eta Aquarids in May?
Following a full Flower Moon on Friday, May 1, a waning gibbous moon will still be mostly bright and nearly completely illuminated on both nights of peak activity, which could interfere with the meteor shower, according to the website EarthSky.
Where, what time are the Eta Aquarids visible in Florida?
In general, the best time to see meteors are between midnight and dawn.
Visit the website Time and Date to find the best times and viewing directions for your location.
Weather, cloud forecast for Florida for meteor shower
Of course, clouds in the sky could also hamper the views.
The National Weather Service shared a graphic showing most clear skies forecasted for both nights of the meteor shower’s peak in most Florida – as indicated by the blue shading. The grayer the shading and higher the percentage numbers, the higher the chance for clouds.
Where are the Eta Aquarids visible? Florida locations to spot meteors
The Eta Aquarids should be easily seen across the United States.
Want to find a dark area near you? DarkSky International is a U.S nonprofit that maintains a list of designated dark sky communities around the world, including 173 in the United States.
That includes these three locations in Florida:
How to spot Eta Aquarids meteors in Florida
Under the best conditions, the Eta Aquarids should pretty much be visible around the globe anywhere in the sky.
However, the meteors are best seen from the Southern Hemisphere. That’s because the meteors seem to emerge – or radiate – from the constellation Aquarius, which is higher up in the sky in the Southern Hemisphere than it is in the Northern Hemisphere.
In the Northern Hemisphere, ETA Aquarids meteors appear as what NASA refers to as “Earthgrazers” – or long meteors that appear to skim the surface of the Earth at the horizon.
Getting away from city light pollution and street lights will also help to unveil the best sights.
What are the Eta Aquarids? Here’s what causes the meteor shower
Meteor showers occur when Earth passes through dusty debris trails left by comets and other space objects as they orbit the sun.
The debris – space rocks known as meteoroids – collides with Earth’s atmosphere at high speed and disintegrates, creating fiery and colorful streaks in the sky, according to NASA. Those resulting fireballs, better known as “shooting stars,” are meteors.
And the Eta Aquarids’ parent comet is none other than the famous Halley’s Comet.
Halley, which takes about 76 years for each orbit of the sun, won’t be seen again by casual observers until 2061 after it was last sighted in 1986.
But despite its rare appearance to us here on Earth, Halley’s impact is still felt at least twice a year when we enter its debris path. Each time Halley returns to the inner solar system, its nucleus sheds ice and rocky dust into space that eventually becomes not only the ETA Aquarids in May, but the Orionids every October.
Eric Lagatta is the Space Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at elagatta@usatodayco.com
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Eta Aquarids due for 2-night peak. When to see meteor shower in Florida
Reporting by Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida / Palm Beach Post
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
