A Sky Show at Sunrise: Arietid Meteors Set to Peak
Love stargazing but hate staying up late? Here’s good news—you can catch a meteor shower before breakfast. The Arietid meteor shower is heating up the sky right now, and it’s peaking just before sunrise on Saturday, June 7.
But don’t hit snooze. If you want a front-row seat to this celestial spectacle, you’ll need to rise early and look east!
What’s Causing All This Sky Action?
Every year, Earth passes through dusty trails left behind by ancient comets and asteroids. When these tiny space particles slam into our atmosphere, they burn up and streak across the sky. That’s what we call a meteor shower, and this one is no exception.
The Arietids are especially unique—they’re a daytime meteor shower, which means their radiant point is above the horizon during daylight hours. Still, if you step outside before the sun rises, you might catch some of their brilliance.
When and Where to Watch
The Arietids are active from now until June 17, but your best chance to see them is in the hour before sunrise around the peak on June 7.
Here’s what to do:
Face east, toward the constellation Aries, the shower’s radiant.
Look up about an hour before your local sunrise.
Find dark skies, far from city lights, for a better view.
You’ll spot meteors shooting outward from Aries in all directions—some streaking high into the pre-dawn sky.
Why It’s Worth Waking Up For
This isn’t your average sky show. The Arietids boast a zenithal hourly rate of 60 to 200 meteors—that’s a lot of shooting stars! Even if most of the action happens when the sky is too bright to see it all, the early-morning hours offer a solid chance to catch several streaks of light.
So, grab a blanket, head outside before the birds wake up, and look east. You just might catch a silent show of fiery trails lighting up the calm of dawn.
Final Tips
Skip the telescope—meteors are best viewed with the naked eye.
Check the forecast to avoid cloudy skies.
Be patient—it can take a few minutes for your eyes to adjust to the dark.
Mornings may be tough, but trust us—this one’s worth it.
