Earth is starting to pass through a stream of dust from Halley's Comet, to produce the annual eta Aquarid meteor shower.
It peaks before sunrise on Saturday morning, (6:00 UT) May 6th.
The duration of the meteor shower covers the period of April 21 to May 12.

The shower is favourably placed in 2006, with the moon being at First Quarter on May 5 and thus setting before the radiant rises.
Expected meteor rates of about 5 - 10 per hour in the northern hemisphere, and 20 - 60 per hour in the southern hemisphere.

Eta Aquarid meteoroids are fast, travelling at 66 km/s, and often leave persistent trains. Typical the meteors are as bright as a 3rd magnitude star (2.4 - 3.1mag). It is best to observe them away from the glow of city lights.

The radiant is located in the north portion of the constellation Aquarius.
The shower is named after the 4th-magnitude star in the constellation, near which the radiant appears.

RA=337.5 deg, DEC=-1.3 deg

There are strong similarities between the orbits of the meteor stream and Halley's Comet. However, notable differences between several of the elements indicate this stream is probably not a recent product of this comet.

Halley's Comet has a retrograde orbit inclined at 162.2 degrees. As a result the meteoroid dust and the earth approach one another head on, and at high speed.
The periodic comet Halley also produces the Orionids of October.

Source

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__________________
`Irony` actually does mean `metal like`...