The island is expecting the first meteor shower this summer in the next couple of days, and stargazers can actually watch the shooting stars via streaming video provided by the Taipei Astronomical Museum.
The Eta Aquarids will peak on the night of May 5 and the early morning hours of May 6, during which 40 meteors are expected every hour, said the museum on Monday (May 4). While the visibility of the meteors will be largely reduced due to the full moon, stargazers will still have the chance to see the shower near dawn.
In addition to the shooting stars, astronomy enthusiasts are also likely to enjoy Mars, Saturn, and Jupiter, as these planets will also be visible in the summer sky.
The museum said it has set up high-definition cameras at Fushoushan Farm in Taichung and Yangmingshan National Park in Taipei to film the meteor shower. It will also provide live-streaming for those without a clear view of the sky to join the stargazing event.
The Eta Aquarids is one of two meteor showers created by debris from Halley's Comet, and they are named after Eta Aquarii, the brightest star of the constellation Aquarius. Usually visible between April 19 to May 28 every year, the meteor shower is characterized as fleeting and bright, according to the museum.
Source：Taiwan News
