Halley’s comet swings near Earth every 75 years. But debris left by the comet leads to two major meteor showers every year including the Eta Aquarids. When this meteor shower lights up the night sky, “you’ll know that Earth is crossing the path of the most famous comet ,” said Shauna Edson of the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum.

Among the top 10 meteor showers appearing annually, one of the best will be reaching its peak on Tuesday morning (May 6). The Eta Aquarid shower ranks among the top four in terms of overall activity.Because the meteors appear to emanate from a spot on the sky (called the "radiant") in the Water Jar of the Aquarius constellation — hence the name "Aquarids" — their visibility favors prospective skywatchers south of the equator.

The Aquarids – sometimes spelled as "Aquariids" – first became active April 19 and are due to peak between May 5 and May 6. Here's how to see them.