Dates For Eta Aquarid Meteor Shower 2014 Peak:Watch For Fireballs In The Sky

For sky-gazers, the wait between the past two meteor showers was long, but hot on the trails of the Lyrid meteor shower, the dates for Eta Aquarid meteor shower 2014 peak are just about here.

The April Lyrids were visible from Virginia and DC but a bright moon washed out many of the meteors hurtling above. You won't have that problem with the Aquarids, provided you get up early.

The pre-dawn hours on May 5, 6 and 7 will be peak viewing time for the Aquarid meteor shower, after the moon sets and before the sun begins to rise.

You can see what to look for in this video of the Eta Aquarid meteor shower. And you can view photos and charts of the Aquarids.

Eta Aquarids get their name from Aquarius, the constellation you'll look toward to catch what have come to be known as "shooting stars" — which aren't shooting stars at all. What you will actually see are flakes of dust from Halley's Comet. 

In May and October, Earth passes through the stream of dust in Halley's wake, giving us first the Eta Aquarid meteor shower and then the Orionids.

The radiant comes over the eastern horizon at about 4 a.m. our time, so the hour or two before dawn tends to offer the most Eta Aquarid meteors, no matter where you are on Earth.