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.

Many Southern Hemisphere observers consider this shower to be the best meteor shower of the year, but it's a different story for Northern Hemisphere skywatchers.