The passage of the Eta Aquariids (or Eta Aquáridas) meteors from 2024 can be seen with the naked eye in the skies of Brazil between the night of this Saturday (4) and the early hours of Sunday (5). 
The peak is expected from 2 am on Sunday morning.
According to the National Observatory, linked to the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, the astronomical event can produce up to 50 meteors per hour at a speed of 65.5 km/sec.
Regarding ideal conditions of darkness and weather, the forecast is that that night, the waning moon will only be 14% illuminated, which should favor the observation of meteors, as it will interfere little with celestial lighting. Light pollution and weather, such as cloudy skies, also hinder observation of the phenomenon.
The Eta Aquarids meteor shower, also called meteor shower, is an annual astronomical event that occurs when the Earth passes through the fragments left by Halley’s Comet.
The phenomenon is generally visible in the Southern Hemisphere during the months of April and May and the peak of the luminous spectacle generally occurs at the beginning of May. The meteors appear to originate from the constellation Aquarius, hence the name “Eta Aquarids”.
The coordinator of the Brazilian meteor research project of the EXOSS Citizen Science Project, a partner of the National Observatory, astronomer Marcelo Antônio, explains that these meteors “are famous for their high speed and long tracks, which makes them spectacular for observation.”
This year, fragments of Halley’s comet have already been seen crossing the skies of Santa Catarina, since Wednesday (1st).
Meteors
Meteors are small celestial bodies that cross space and penetrate the planet’s atmosphere and ignite partially or completely due to interaction with the atmosphere and oxygen. The phenomenon creates a luminosity in the sky, popularly known as a “shooting star”.
A meteor shower occurs when several meteorite debris cross the night sky and originate from a common point, called a radiant.
The study of meteors helps to estimate the number and period of greatest incidence of these celestial bodies that periodically cross the Earth. The analyzes are useful to space missions and satellite control centers to protect equipment in orbit near the Earth and the Moon, such as satellites and spacecraft flights.
