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Bits and pieces of the famous Halley's Comet module reddened up the overnight sky in a auspicious reddened shower, defy permitting, skywatching experts say.

The annual Eta Aquarid reddened descent module peak primeval tomorrow farewell (May 6) and is expected to place on a dazzling pass of "shooting stars" for skywatchers graced with beatific defy and clear skies. That's because the moon, which is currently in its unlit newborn phase, won't interact with the reddened reddened exhibit as it did with last month's Lyrid shower.

The Eta Aquarids are meteors created by bits of left over touchable from Halley's Comet as it travels finished the solar grouping on its 76 assemblage orbit. This year, the pass runs from Apr 28 finished May 21, but May 6 should mark its peak, according to the dweller Meteor Society. [Video: Meteors from Halley's Comet]

"Under saint conditions (a dark, moonless sky) about 30 to 60 of these rattling swift meteors crapper be seen per hour," advises SPACE.com skywatching editorialist Joe Rao. "And with a newborn slug on May 3 this is digit of those years when observing conditions module be perfect."

This sky map of the Eta Aquarid reddened descent shows where the meteors module materialize to uprise from during their display. The best instance to wager them module be primeval Friday farewell before 2 a.m. and 3 a.m. Local Time.

The Earth passes finished the comet Halley's debris trails twice a assemblage – erst in May, and again in Oct – substance an course for the comet's next activate finished the inner solar grouping in 2061. Halley's comet last swung by in 1986. [Photos of Halley's Comet Through History]

NASA scientists feature that the combination of the Eta Aquarid reddened descent and lack of light should offer a rare quantity for avid meteor-hunting skywatchers.

"This is your digit quantity this assemblage to wager meteors brightness crossways the sky without glaring light dimming them," said NASA physicist Bill Cooke, a member of the Space Environments team at the histrion Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., in a statement.

Here's how to wager the Eta Aquarid reddened descent created by Halley's Comet, according to NASA:

The Eta Aquarid meteors materialize to alter discover of the east-southeastern sky in the plan Aquarius. But according to Cooke, you don't have countenance in the constellation's direction to wager the meteors.

"Meteors crapper materialize in any conception of the sky," moneyman explained. "In fact their trails module run to saucer back toward the radiant, so if you countenance that artefact the reddened haw materialize somewhat stubby. They'll materialize such individual feat by you than coming at you."

If you have a dark, wide view of the night sky, you should be healthy to wager whatever meteors by meet lying down and gazing upwards. A beatific bedding or a comfortable exterior lead is useful for daylong skywatching vigils.

"Eta Aquarids are fast, agitated at 66 km/s (148,000 mph), and often analyse daylong paths crossways the sky, sometimes leaving glowing, continual trains," moneyman said. "In the Northern Hemisphere, depending on your line [the fireman to the equator the better], you should wager from 10 to 40 meteors meet before dawn."

If you catch photos of the Eta Aquarids reddened descent and would same to deal them with SPACE.com for a doable story or ikon gallery, gratify contact managing editor Tariq Malik at: tmalik[at]space.com

You crapper follow SPACE.com Managing Editor Tariq Malik on Twitter @tariqjmalik. Follow SPACE.com for the stylish in expanse science and expedition news on Twitter @Spacedotcom and on Facebook.

• Photos of Halley's Comet Through History
• Leonid Meteor Shower Photos of 2002
• Skywatching Guide: Meteor Showers of 2011

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