Eta Aquarid meteor shower spectacle courtesy of Halley’s comet

The Eta Aquarid meteor shower is such a fascinating display that astronomers and the public eagerly anticipate it every year from mid-April to late May and peaking at May 6, this Friday night.

So-named because it appears to originate from the constellation Aquarius, the meteor shower can be seen over the southeast horizon at 3 a.m. local daylight time. Observers who are lucky enough to have a moonless sky Friday night will witness between 30 and 60 meteors streaking across the sky.

The "shooting stars" on May 6 are actually remnants of Halley's Comet which passed by our planet in 1986. The famous comet will not be seen that close again until 2061, when it completes the 75 years of its full orbit around the sun.

We need not wait that long to witness its splendor as its remnant the Eta Aquarid will give us a good show. For those who miss this Friday's spectacle, you have a chance to watch the Orionids meteor shower in late October. The latter is the more prolific of the two showers associated with Halley's comet.

The comet is unique because it is the only short-period comet visible to the naked eye that can be witnessed twice in one's lifetime. Halley's comet and its associated meteor shower have been recorded by ancient astronomers in Babylon, China and Europe.

So-called earthgrazers that leave long colorful trails can also be seen. For observers north of the equator, expect to have the meteor shower very close to the horizon and with fewer meteors on display.