Etta Aquarit meteor shower, remnants of Halley's Comet, visible from Earth this weekend

meteor shower Etta Aquarites, the remnants of Halley's Comet, will peak this weekend. And only the waning moon should be visible in the sky.

Eta Aquarits occurs every year in early May. This year's peak activity occurs early Sunday morning and 10 to 30 meteors per hour are expected in the Northern Hemisphere. Visibility should be even better in the southern hemisphere. Rain will continue till May 27.

Here's what you need to know about the Eta Aquarites and other meteor showers.

There are so many meteor showers every year that you don't need special equipment to see them.

Most meteor showers originate from cometary debris. The source of Eta Aquarits is Halley's Comet.

When rocks from space enter Earth's atmosphere, air resistance makes them much hotter. This lightens the air around them and briefly leaves a tail of fire behind them: the end of a “shooting star”.

Visible in the night sky are pockets of bright air surrounding fast-moving space rocks ranging from the size of a dust particle to a boulder.

Meteors are usually most visible between midnight and dawn.

Away from the city lights, it's easy to see shooting stars under dark skies. On cloudless nights, meteor showers also appear brighter as the moon wanes.

The Southern Hemisphere will have the best view of the Eta Aquarids, but a waning moon at 14% power will allow clear viewing in both hemispheres, according to the American Meteorological Society.

The Meteor Society maintains an up-to-date list of upcoming major meteor showers, including peak viewing days and moonlight positions.

The next big southern delta is the Aquarite meteor shower, which peaks in late July.

(With information from AP)