You may have already seen it, but there’s a meteor shower shooting over the skies in Metro Vancouver right now! While showers’ peak is approaching soon, we’ve got all the details on how you can get the best view of these astronomical marvels.
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Meteor Shower Over Metro Vancouver
This meteor shower is the eta Aquariids, which is a spring shower that is active from now until May 28, 2026.
The American Meteor Society notes that the eta Aquariids “are a strong shower when viewed from the southern tropics… These are swift meteors that produce a high percentage of persistent trains, but few fireballs.” Basically, expect long tails from these meteors, although there won’t be as many bright flashes as some other showers.
The shower will peak in early May, specifically May 5 to 6, when the Earth intersects the dust cloud left behind by comet Halley.
Where To Spot The Shower
The eta Aquariids are best viewed in the early morning hours, usually around 3:00am. Unfortunately, the near-full moon on the peak nights will make it harder to spot the meteors, but there are some ways that you can get a more optimal view.
It’s best to get away from any light pollution that might interfere with the sights. The brightness of city lights causes a decrease in contrast between the night sky and the streaking meteors, so that’s why you might have trouble spotting any cool celestial happenings.
So, where should you go if you want to get the best viewing experience? Anywhere outside of the city at a late time.
You need to be far enough from any major light pollution in order to get the best look at the meteors. The Royal Astronomical Society of Canada (RASC) has some of their Vancouver Centre members’ places they head to when they want to look at the sky listed on their website.
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