The Eta Aquariid meteor shower peaks this week: How to see 'shooting stars' dropped by Halley's Comet

The Eta Aquariid meteor shower will peak overnight from May 5-6, giving skywatchers a chance to spot fast-moving "shooting stars" created by debris from Halley's Comet.The Eta Aquariids (also spelled Eta Aquarids) are active from April 19 to May 28 each year, with meteors appearing to radiate from the constellation Aquarius, specifically near the star Eta Aquarii, according to Time and Date. The star, which is 168 light-years away, is visible to the naked eye — however, that distant star really has nothing to do with the shower.Halley's Comet is currently traveling through the outer reaches of the solar system, beyond the orbit of Neptune. But twice each year, Earth passes through the trail of dust and debris that the comet has previously left behind. That creates both the Eta Aquariids in April and May and the Orionid meteor shower from early October to early November.As Earth moves through Halley's debris, tiny particles enter the atmosphere at around 40.7 miles per second (65.4 kilometers per second), according to the American Meteor Society, producing swift meteors and persistent glowing trails. Bright fireballs are possible, but rare. Eta Aquariid activity is strongest for about a week centered on the peak night.From the