Meteor Shower: How And When To See The Delta Aquariids

Though it’s not totally clear just by glancing at the night sky, the Delta Aquariids meteor shower has been going on since mid-July. The shower is active from mid-July to mid-August every year and although exact dates vary slightly, generally it’s most active closer to the end of the month.

During peak times, July 27-30, the shower will produce up to 20 visible meteors per hour but they will likely be dim. Luckily, the moon will not have reached first quarter status, meaning the sky will be slightly darker than usual and will allow for better viewing conditions. Your chances of seeing one of the meteors will be greater if you wait until the moon sets, which should happen before or around midnight. You’re better off waiting until after midnight anyway because the sky tends to be darker then.

Read: A NASA Craft That Orbits The Moon Was Hit By A Meteoroid

While the shower is called the Delta Aquariids for the point in the constellation Aquarius from which the meteors appear to radiate, they really don’t have much else to do with that part of space. The name is used simply to more easily locate the shower for viewers and astronomers alike. This point where the meteors appear to come from is called the radiant.

The actual origin of the meteors is more difficult to figure out. Researchers are still unsure but they think the chunks of burning rock might originate from the comet 96P Machholz, according to NASA.

A meteor is a meteoroid that enters Earth’s atmosphere and burns up, when it does this it leaves a trail of light which is why some people opt to call them “shooting stars.” A meteoroid is a small piece of rock that is traveling through space, they usually have broken off of larger space objects like asteroids or comets.

Read: Take A Tour Of The International Space Station With Google Earth Street View

Geographically the best place to view the Delta Aquariids is the Southern Hemisphere or the latitudes closer to the equator in the Northern Hemisphere, according to NASA. But the Delta Aquariids can still be seen worldwide. So if you're not close to the equator or in the Southern Hemisphere you still have a chance. Choose a location away from street lights and any cities that create a lot of light pollution where you can either lie flat on your back or sit in a chair and look directly up at the sky. You want to take in as much of the sky as possible and give yourself about 30 minutes in the dark for your eyes to adjust.

While looking up at the sky train your view about half way between the horizon and the point directly above you and about 45 degrees from the Aquarius constellation. You can locate the constellation with a map or an app. Then, just wait try not to focus on one specific spot, rather let your eyes take in the area as a whole.

The Perseid meteor are also happening now, but they won't peak until August so your chances of catching a meteor from that shower are lower than catching the Delta Aquariids.