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Edinburgh Live
Edinburgh Live
National
Sophie Buchan

Eta Aquarid Meteor Shower to pass over Edinburgh skies - where to watch as it peaks

If you love watching the moon and the stars - then this Friday may be the perfect way to end a busy working week.

In the past we haven't been so lucky with stargazing with the clouds in Scotland always coming in at the last minute.

However tonight could be our lucky night with the clouds predicted to stay at bay with no heavy coverage forecast.

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This is great news as this week an epic meteor shower is set to peak allowing for a wonderful natural show in the sky.

According to the BBC, the phenomenon is known as the Eta Aquarid which takes place in May every year and according to Bill Cooke who leads NASA's Meteoroid Environment Office, "it's a perfect opportunity for space enthusiasts to get out and experience one of nature's most vivid light shows."

The peak of the display is predicted to take place tonight (May 6) according to Royal Observatory Greenwich across the UK with up to a whopping 50 meteors hurtling through the skies at 41 miles a second - if you can fathom that speed.

People living in the Southern Hemisphere will be able to see the meteor shower more clearly than those in the Northern Hemisphere - however it doesn't mean we won't be able to see it at all.

So what is this meteor shower and where should we go to see it?

What is Eta Aquarids?

The BBC report that NASA have said "Eta Aquarids are little pieces of rock that have fallen off Halley's Comet, which is a well-known comet that is visible from Earth approximately every 76 years.

"As the famous comet races around the Sun, its rocky body crumbles under the star's intense heat. The bits that fall off are then left drifting in the space rock's trail.

"Halley's Comet was last viewable from Earth in 1986 and won't be visible again until the middle of 2061."

How can I see the Eta Aquarid and where is the best plavce in Edinburgh to go?

According to the Daily Mail, the Eta Aquarids the best way to see the shower is to "look up in the early mornings, right before dawn. NASA suggests trying to see the show between 3am and 5am your local time in an area away from city lights.

"The southern hemisphere is preferable for viewing the Eta Aquarids. The Northern Hemisphere has an hourly rate of only about 10 meteors."

So if you want to get a glimpse of the event, the best place to sit and wait would be areas such as the Pentlands Hill and Lammer Law because according to a Light Pollution Map, this area - along with much of East Lothian - are less polluted and therefore you're more likely to see the shower.

Thankfully you can see it with the naked eye and no telescope is needed.

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