These shooting stars are famous for the speed at which they enter the atmosphere, at about 40.7 miles per second and appear annually from mid-April to late May.
On May 5th, they reach their peak, with up to 30 meteors per hour if the sky is dark and clear.
Born from the debris of Halley’s comet, which passes near the Earth every 75 years, “Halley’s crumbs” are set to peak on Tuesday. It will be more vivid in the southern hemisphere than in the northern hemisphere, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it will be impossible to see them in Spain.
When these fast-moving space rocks enter Earth’s atmosphere, the debris encounters new resistance from the air and becomes very hot, eventually burning up.
Sometimes the surrounding air glows briefly, leaving behind a fiery tail – the end of a “shooting star”.
You don’t need special equipment to see the various meteor showers that flash across annually, just a spot away from city lights.
During Tuesday morning’s peak, if you live in Europe, you can expect to see between 10 to 15 meteors per hour in ideal viewing conditions. However, the Moon will be nearly two-thirds full, which will likely reduce visibility.
Viewing of the shower lasts until May 28th.