2013 Eta Aquarid meteor shower overview

2013 Eta Aquarid meteor shower overview

This year’s annual Eta Aquarid meteor shower peaked on May 5/6 as our planet passed through a stream of debris from Halley’s Comet. International Meteor Organization (IMO) reported peak of 135 meteors per hour on May 6, 2013. Far more than initially…

May 2013 Skywatching guide

May 2013 Skywatching guide

May 2013 brings few interesting sky events. This years Eta Aquarid meteor shower will peak on May 6 with expected zenith hourly rate of 55 meteors per hour. We are about to experience annular solar eclipse on May 9/10. Annularity will be visible from

What’s up for April 2013

What’s up for April 2013

JPL released another video guide for skywatchers, introducing sky events in April 2013. Jupiter’s moon Io crosses Jupiter’s face on April 3, followed by its tiny black shadow. Comet PanSTARRS will pass 2° west (lower right) of the Andromeda Galaxy, M31 on April 4.

What’s Up for March 2013

What’s Up for March 2013

The first of this year’s two potential bright comets is visible for those who can see low on the western horizon and find out which spacecraft is on a 10-year mission to catch up with another comet.Credit: JPL

Mercury seen at sunset

Mercury seen at sunset

The planet Mercury is about to make its best apparition of the year for backyard sky watchers. Look west at sunset for a piercing pink planet surrounded by twilight blue.Source: NASA Science

Sky watchers be ready for meteor shower from Halley’s Comet on May 6th

Sky watchers be ready for meteor shower from Halley’s Comet on May 6th

Get up in the wee hours of the morning May 6th and head out into the country, far from the city lights so you can observe eta Aquarid meteor shower. The eta Aquarids are best viewed from the southern hemisphere, but there's something special about them no matter…