Overview
- The shower’s main maximum arrives May 6, and recent seasons suggest a smaller second uptick later in the week with less moonlight.
- The radiant in Aquarius rises near 3 a.m. local time, which makes the final 90 minutes before sunrise the best time to watch.
- Published “ZHR” rates assume perfect skies with the radiant straight up, so most mid‑northern observers should expect only a few meteors per hour.
- Viewers in the Mediterranean and farther south can reach several dozen meteors per hour at the peak under dark conditions.
- The meteors are fast bits of Halley’s Comet hitting at about 66 km/s, and you’ll see more by finding a dark, wide view, letting eyes adapt for 30 minutes, avoiding phone screens, and not staring at the radiant.