#Peak #Eta #Aquarids #Meteor #Shower #Indonesia
KOMPAS.com – The peak of the Eta Aquarids meteor shower will occur on Sunday (5/5/2024) evening to Monday (6/5/2024) morning before the sun rises.
Astronomer and astrophysicist from the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) Space Research Center, Thomas Djamaluddin, said that the Eta Aquarids meteor shower started to occur from April 19 2024 to May 28 2024.
“The peak of the Eta Aquarids meteor shower will occur on May 5-6 2024,” said Thomas when contacted by Kompas.com, Friday (3/5/2024).
So, can it be seen in Indonesia?
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BRIN’s explanation
Thomas confirmed that the peak of the Eta Aquarids meteor shower can be seen in Indonesia at around 03.00 until just before sunrise.
“The estimated number of meteors at the peak is around 50-60 meteors per hour,” he said.
However, outside the peak phase, people can still see the meteor shower, although the number is smaller.
To witness the peak of the Eta Aquarids meteor shower, Thomas advised people to direct their gaze to the sky in the east and southeast.
Apart from that, monitoring is also recommended from locations where there is light pollution or lighting, so as not to disturb the view of the sky.
Then, it is also recommended to watch the meteor shower in a location that is not blocked by hills, trees or buildings.
Read also: What is the Difference Between Meteors, Asteroids and Comets? The following is the explanation
The process of the Eta Aquarids meteor shower
Thomas explained that the meteor shower occurred when the Earth passed through the remaining dust of space objects in its evolution around the Sun.
When the remaining dust enters the atmosphere, it will burn itself and then look like a shooting star.
With the large amount of remaining dust, it will look like a meteor shower from the Earth’s surface.
“The Eta Aquarids meteor shower occurred because the Earth passed through the remaining dust from Halley’s comet,” he explained.
Because the remaining dust from Halley’s comet is in the path of Earth’s evolution, the Eta Aquarids meteor shower is an annual event.
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