Make a wish: on Easter, the most intense starfall of the century will take place in the sky over the Earth

If you've ever wanted to watch the debris of Halley's Comet cross the upper atmosphere of the Earth, this week is your chance. The Eta-Aquarid meteor shower will be the most intense until May 10, and the show will peak at dawn on May 5, when Ukrainians will celebrate Easter. The peak coincides with the new moon, which means that a few hours before dawn the sky will be very dark – ideal conditions for watching shooting stars.

The Earth is crossed by a trail of dust debris left by Halley's Comet. It creates the Eta-Aquarid meteor shower, one of the best visible from the southern hemisphere. Every year, when the Earth reaches this point in its orbit, the Eta Aquarids can be seen in the morning sky, ScienceAlert writes with reference to the Shower Meteor Calendar.

As the Earth moves around the Sun, we encounter streams of dust and debris from comets and asteroids. This gives rise to "meteor showers" – periods when the number of falling stars increases dramatically.

Scientists who have been modeling the behavior of the Eta Aquarids for the past few decades have found interesting hints that this year's numbers could increase significantly. They suggest that the 2024 Eta-Aquarid meteor shower could be the strongest of the entire twenty-first century.

However, it is very difficult to predict the activity of meteor showers. Other researchers argue that this year may be the same as usual.

But even if the latter is true, it's still a great meteor shower to try to catch. Settle down somewhere in the dark and wake up to spend a few hours enjoying the natural fireworks before watching the beautiful spring sunrise.

Only verified information is available on the OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!