Stargazers across Australia are set to be treated to both a lunar eclipse and a meteor shower over May’s first weekend.
Brought to our attention by Nine News, neither of these events are very common. Lunar eclipses in Australia occur between once and four times per year, while meteor showers occur slightly more often at seven per year.
To have them both happening at the same time – and so soon after a ‘hybrid’ solar eclipse – is a pretty nice treat.
Amateur astronomers and people who just want to see something extra cool will both be able to see these phenomena, without the need for a telescope or to travel to a specific part of the country.
When can I see the meteor shower and lunar eclipse in Australia?
It’s expected that the lunar eclipse, the first lunar eclipse observable from Australia since November 2022, will begin on May 6 at 1:14am AEST, according to timeanddate.com. It’ll reach its peak at 3:22am AEST, before ending at 5:31am. One to wake up early for.
For other timezones, the peak will occur at 2:51am ACST and 1:22am AWST.
As for the meteor shower, the Eta Aquariids shower will begin at about 2am AEST on May 6 and run through to 7am AEST, again according to timdeanddate.com. The ABC is reporting that the best time to see the shower will be at between 3am and 5am AEST.
For other timezones, the peak will occur between 2:30am and 4:30am ACST, and between 1am and 3am AWST.
It’s expected that, during the early hours of the morning, viewers will be treated to between 7 and 9 meteors per hour, according to the ABC.
To see the meteor shower, it’s recommended that you scan the night sky rather than look at a specific point, but if you’re interested in looking somewhere in particular, and you have a telescope, direct it towards Saturn, as its rings are closing up. Ironically you’ll want to avoid the moon, as its light can potentially obstruct the view of the meteors.
Additionally, you’ll want to be as high up as can be, with as little light around you as possible (and if you can get out of the city, you’ll want to do this to avoid light pollution).
Remember to rug up and keep warm. Happy stargazing.