Written by Christina Larson
Washington (AP) The summer shower duet is almost upon us.
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Early on July 30, the Southern Delta Aquariid and the Alpha Capricornid meteor showers peak simultaneously.
In areas away from city lights, the meteors should appear brilliant and clear because the waxing moon will only be around a quarter full, allowing for minimal interference from moonlight.
The doubleheader means the overall number of meteors does add up, as each shower is predicted to produce up to a dozen visible meteors per hour under dark skies, according to Thaddeus LaCoursiere, coordinator of the Bell Museum’s planetarium program in St. Paul, Minnesota.
He advised looking for light bursts in the night sky, noting that both are lovely examples of traditional meteor showers.
According to Nick Moskovitz of the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona, the tails of the Alpha Capricornids, which are created by slower-moving meteors, might stay in the sky for a little while longer.
Each shower can be viewed until August 12.
The Earth passes through debris left by passing comets and occasionally asteroids on multiple occasions throughout the year as it revolves around the sun.
The Delta Aquariids originate from comet 96P/Machholz debris. The comet 169P/NEAT is the source of the Alpha Capricornids.
The debris meets fresh air resistance when these swift space rocks hit Earth’s atmosphere, gets extremely hot, and finally burns up.
Occasionally, the air around a shooting star temporarily glows, leaving behind a blazing tail.
If you choose a location away from city lights, you can witness the different meteor showers that occur every year without the need for special equipment.
The early predawn hours, when the moon is low in the sky, are the greatest times to see a meteor shower.
The biggest barriers to seeing meteors clearly are competing light sources like a brilliant moon or artificial lighting. The best viewing times are on cloudless nights when the moon is at its smallest.
And continue to look up rather than down. If you are not looking at your phone, your eyes will be more suited to detect shooting stars.
Mid-August marks the climax of the Perseids, the next significant meteor shower.
The Science and Educational Media Group of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute provides support to the Associated Press Health and Science Department. All content is entirely the AP’s responsibility.
