Get ready for a celestial spectacle as two meteor showers are poised to grace the night skies in a rare doubleheader event. The Southern Delta Aquariid meteor shower is set to peak in late July, coinciding with the smaller but brighter Alpha Capricornid meteor shower.
Two Showers Lighting Up the Skies
The Southern Delta Aquariids occur every year in North America’s late summer. This year’s peak activity happens early Tuesday morning, with an expected 15 to 20 meteors visible per hour in the Northern Hemisphere under dark skies. Viewing should be even better in the Southern Hemisphere. The shower lasts through August 21, according to the American Meteor Society.
Around the same time, the Alpha Capricornid meteor shower should produce around five meteors per hour and lasts through August 15. Despite being smaller in scale, the Alpha Capricornids often produce very bright meteors, making them a highlight for stargazers. As University of Warwick astronomer Don Pollacco says, “One bright one is worth 20 faint ones.”
Understanding Meteor Showers
Multiple meteor showers occur annually, and you don’t need special equipment to see them. Most meteor showers originate from the debris of comets. The source of the Delta Aquariids is thought to be comet 96P/Machholz, while the Alpha Capricornids originate from comet 169P/NEAT.
When rocks from space enter Earth’s atmosphere, the resistance from the air makes them very hot. This causes the air to glow around them and briefly leaves a fiery tail behind—a phenomenon often referred to as a “shooting star.” The glowing pockets of air around fast-moving space rocks, ranging from the size of a dust particle to a boulder, may be visible in the night sky.
How to View the Meteor Showers
Meteor showers are usually most visible between midnight and the pre-dawn hours. For the best experience, find a location away from city lights to reduce light pollution. Clear, cloudless nights with minimal moonlight provide optimal viewing conditions. During this period, the moon will be waning and around 30 percent full, so the clearest viewing will happen after midnight.
Allow your eyes to adjust to the darkness and avoid checking your phone, as NASA’s Bill Cooke advises, “It ruins your night vision.” Observers in the Southern Hemisphere will have the best views of the Delta Aquariids, but the meteors will be visible to skywatchers worldwide.
Looking Ahead
If you miss this doubleheader, there’s more to come. The next major meteor shower will be the Perseids, peaking in mid-August. Known for its high meteor count and bright meteors, it offers another exciting opportunity for enthusiasts and casual observers alike to enjoy the wonders of the night sky.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
