Dust shed from the tail of Halley's comet will blossom into a shooting star show to start off Cinco de Mayo, astronomers report.
About 30 shooting stars an hour should be seen in clear skies for the yearly Eta Aquarid meteor shower, which peaks this year around 9 p.m. EDT on May 5, according to NASA estimates
The meteors will appear from the constellation Aquarius (hence the shower's name) to skywatchers, who are advised to pack a lawn chair and find a place far away from city lights for the best viewing.
"A thin crescent moon makes for dark skies, and best viewing is in the hour or two before dawn," says JPL's AsteroidWatch website.
Halley's comet is viewable from Earth every 76 years but won't be seen again until 2061. It leaves a dusty trail behind in its travels, however, which Earth essentially orbits into every year in May to produce the meteor shower. The shooting stars are actually dust grains traveling 44 miles per second, burning and streaking across the sky. Shooting stars may be seen on nights before and after May 5, due to the breadth of the comet's dust trail.
source: usatoday.com
