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Prepare for a Cosmic Display: The Delta Aquariids Meteor Shower PeaksPrepare for a Cosmic Display: The Delta Aquariids Meteor Shower Peaks Stargazers, prepare to be dazzled as the Delta Aquariids meteor shower reaches its peak on the night of July 29-30, offering a celestial spectacle visible for weeks. Origin and Visibility The Delta Aquariids originate from the constellation Aquarius, near the star Delta Aquarii. This shower is best observed from the Southern Hemisphere and southern latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere, where the radiant, or source point, appears higher in the sky. To maximize your viewing experience, find a spot away from city lights and allow your eyes to adjust to the darkness for 20-30 minutes. Fortunately, the moon will be only 30% full during the peak, setting after midnight on July 28, providing optimal conditions. Timing and Location Expect to see approximately 20 meteors per hour, moving at 25 miles per second. Look halfway between the horizon and the zenith, about 45 degrees from the constellation Aquarius, to increase your chances of sighting meteors. Cause of Meteor Showers Meteor showers occur when Earth passes through streams of debris left behind by comets as they approach the sun. The particles in these streams enter the Earth’s atmosphere at high speeds, causing them to heat up and vaporize, producing streaks of light known as meteors. Mystery of the Comet The exact comet responsible for the Delta Aquariids remains uncertain, but astronomers suspect comet 96P/Machholz, which orbits the sun every five years, may be the culprit. Additional Information The Delta Aquariids often overlap with the Perseid meteor shower, which peaks in mid-August. This can result in a more spectacular display of shooting stars in the sky. Remember, meteor showers are a testament to the cosmic debris that fills our solar system and offer a glimpse into the origins of our universe. Grab a blanket, a warm drink, and enjoy the celestial wonders that lie ahead.
Stargazers are in for a surprise in the coming weeks as the Delta Aquariids meteor shower reaches its peak.
The peak of annual rainfall is expected this year on the night of July 29-30, but will not be visible until mid-July and mid-August.
The meteors appear to originate in the constellation Aquarius, specifically near the star Delta Aquarii, hence the name Delta Aquariids.
How to watch the Delta Aquariids meteor shower
This meteor shower typically results in about 20 meteors seen per hour, moving at about 25 miles per second. The meteors in this shower are often quite faint, often without trails or fireballs, meaning the best viewing experience requires minimal light pollution from the moon or city lights.
NASA recommends finding a spot away from city lights and pollution to improve visibility and give your eyes about 20-30 minutes to adjust to the darkness.
Fortunately, the moon will be only 30 percent full on the night of its peak this year, rising after midnight on July 28. The hours around midnight before moonrise are therefore the best for spotting meteors.
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The meteors appear to come from the constellation Aquarius, which is visible when looking south in the Northern Hemisphere, between the constellations Capricorn and Pisces. This meteor shower is better visible in the Southern Hemisphere and the southern latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere because the radiant is higher in the sky.
“Looking halfway between the horizon and the zenith, and 45 degrees from the constellation Aquarius, will increase your chances of seeing the Southern Delta Aquarids,” NASA said.
The Delta Aquariids often overlap with the Perseid meteor shower, which peaks in mid-August. This can create a greater number of meteors in the sky during this time. Perseid meteors will instead appear to come from the constellation Perseus.
What causes the Delta Aquariids meteor shower?
Meteor showers are usually caused by the Earth passing through streams of debris left behind by comets. Comets shed gas and dust as they approach the sun, creating a stream along their orbit that stays in the comet’s path even after the comet has moved away.
As the Earth orbits the sun, it periodically crosses these streams of cometary debris. As the Earth passes through this debris field, the particles enter the Earth’s atmosphere and encounter friction with the air at high speeds, causing the particles to heat up and vaporize, creating a streak of light known as a meteor.
“If it so happens that Earth passes through one of these streams of dust and debris left behind by a comet, we get a meteor shower. The dust crashes into our atmosphere and disappears about 80 km (50 miles) above the ground, visible from the ground as a meteor (or ‘shooting star’),” said Jonti Horner, an astrophysics professor at the University of Southern Queensland, Australia, Newsweek.
Because the debris flows are generally stable and follow the same path as the parent comet, meteor showers occur annually around the same dates that Earth crosses these flows. This is why the Delta Aquariids occur around this time each year.
Astronomers are not yet sure which comet is responsible for this meteor shower, but it is strongly suspected that it is comet 96P/Machholz. According to NASA, this comet orbits the sun about once every five years.
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
