Thanks for the heads up on this one. I received an interesting email about MARS. In August, Mars will be closer to Earth than it has ever been. It will compare in size to the moon when seen by the naked eye. It is supposed to be a once in a lifetime sight.
Thanks again!!

a good reason to get my kiddos up also. good info and I did see Halley's back in 86 it was a sight to view even the tail was visible.

Aubrey, here is an answer I Googled from EarthSky.org:

"May 5, 6 and 7, 2009 Eta Aquarids
The shower has a relatively broad maximum but is expected to peak shortly before dawn on May 5 or 6. Although a waxing gibbous moon lights up most of the night, it’s not really a factor. This is strictly a predawn shower, not to take stage till after moonset! The radiant for this shower appears in the east-southeast at about 4 a.m. and the hour or two before dawn is the preferred viewing time. For the mid-northern latitudes, the rates for this shower are only about 10 to 15 per hour at maximum. Farther south, the meteor numbers increase dramatically. The broad peak to this shower means that some meteors may be seen a few days before and after the optimal date. The best time to watch is May 5 or 6 before dawn. But you’ll see some meteors before dawn on May 7 as well."

Hope this helps your viewing! I'm going to try to get up early to see them as well; in another life I would have been an astronomer!

Thanks for the information, I love meter showers. They make me realize how small we are in the scheme of things.