A meteor shower will be dazzling New Zealand's night skies this weekend, with the peak time for Kiwis to capture the show early Monday morning.
Stardome astronomer Rob Davison told Newshub the Eta Aquariid meteor shower will be visible for a couple of weeks - but for keen viewers, the best time to watch will be early, before sunrise, on Monday.
He explained how Earth was passing through an area of space with increased meteor activity, meaning people will see what looks like shooting stars lighting up the sky.
"They burn up and you see a flash of light," he said.
The object responsible for the Eta Aquariid meteor shower - which gets its name because it's near the Aquarius constellation - is the famous Halley's Comet.
Halley's Comet passes Earth every 75-76 years, so the next sighting won't be until 2061 but the meteor shower is annual.
Davison said this year's shower is expected to be extra spectacular, especially for those in the Southern Hemisphere.
This year's advantage is also because Monday's moon is going to be small. Davison said a full moon would "spoil" the view.
The moon should be just a sliver at most, providing minimal interference. It will likely the best meteor shower for Aotearoa this year, particularly as the Geminids in mid-December will coincide with a near-full moon.
Davison's advice for Kiwis was to avoid light polluted areas, for example in central Auckland, and if possible get out to the dark countryside for the best look.
"Somewhere in the middle of nowhere, go out, spend some time and see how many shooting stars there are," he said.
"Wrap up warm and take your time."
Davison said people should see a one or two flashes a minute.
"It doesn't sound like a lot but it's quite frequent," he said.
