Peaks May 5–6
Next peak: May 6, 2027 · up to ~50 meteors/hour from Aquarius.
Dust shed by Halley's Comet burns up at very high speed, producing swift meteors that frequently leave long glowing trains. The radiant rises late, so the Southern Hemisphere — where it climbs higher before dawn — enjoys the best show.
Look in the hours just before sunrise toward the eastern sky. Southern Hemisphere observers can see 40–50 per hour; northern viewers catch fewer but striking Earth-grazers low on the horizon.
You don't need a telescope or binoculars — meteor showers are best enjoyed with the naked eye and the widest view of the sky you can find. Get well away from city lights, give your eyes 20–30 minutes to adapt to the dark, dress warmly, and look up. The meteors can appear anywhere; they only trace back to the radiant in Aquarius.
The meteors streak out from the constellation Aquarius — find it, and you've found the radiant.
Parent comet
The Eta Aquariids are debris shed by 1P/Halley
See the comet that laid down this trail of dust.