a guide to the sky
It ’ s a prime time for meteor viewing
July 28-29 – Delta Aquarid
Meteor Shower Peaks With the Delta Aquarids set to peak on July 28-29 and the legendary Perseids on the horizon , meteor shower enthusiasts should be actively scouting out their favorite dark patch of sky . Each year , the Delta Aquarid meteor shower serves as the warm-up act for the highly anticipated August performance of the annual Perseids . However , this year , the Moon could play a huge role in which shower gets a standing ovation . At its peak , the Delta Aquarid shower produces 15-20 meteors per hour – a figure that pales in comparison to the average 80 meteors per hour that the Perseid shower can deliver during its peak . However , the Delta Aquarids will be at their pinnacle this year as the peak coincides with the New Moon . With no interference from the Moon , the Delta Aquarids will be easy to spot as they blaze across the night sky , which will amp up their drama . With a radiant point in the Aquarius Constellation , the Delta Aquarids begin their annual amble across the sky in mid- July , bloom in late-July and fade out in the third week of August . They can be seen almost everywhere but favor observers in the Southern Hemisphere and the Northern Hemisphere ’ s tropics region . Like other meteor showers , the Delta Aquarids are the result of Earth ’ s passage through debris left behind by a comet . However , the exact source comet for this shower has been a matter of debate . The most likely candidate is Comet 96P / Machholz , which was not discovered until 1986 . To catch sight of a Delta Aquarid live , observers should actually look at a dark patch of sky about 90 degrees away from the radiant point to see the most meteors . The best viewing time is after midnight in the wee pre-dawn hours . To view the meteors , all you need is your naked eye , a good place to lie down under an open sky and patience .
July 30-31 - Alpha Capricornid Meteor Shower Peaks Meteor lovers who are looking for a bit of a challenge may want to keep their eyes on the sky in the late hours of July 30 and wee hours of July 31 , when the Alpha Capricornid meteor shower reaches its peak . Although it is not known to produce
an impressive amount of meteors per hour , the ones it does generate are likely to be slow moving and very bright and may even reach the fireball level . Active through August 15th , the Alpha Capricornids radiate from the Capricornus Constellation and are caused by debris from Comet 169 / NEAT . August 11-12 – Perseid Meteor Shower Peaks Although it comes on the heels of the full phase of 2014 ’ s closest supermoon , the always-anticipated Perseid meteor shower should still produce some real stunners when it peaks August 11th and 12th . Designated by NASA ’ s Meteoroid Environment Office as the annual meteor shower that produces the most fireballs , the Perseids are worth checking out even though the bright Moon will present significant interference . During its peak ,
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9 . 99 the meteor shower has been known to produce 80-100 meteors per hour , and many of these display impressive persistent trains . Caused by the Earth ’ s passage through debris left behind by Comet Swift-Tuttle , the annual Perseids appear to radiate from the Perseus constellation . However , observers should actually look at a dark patch of sky about 90 degrees away from the radiant point to see the most meteors . The shower does favor northern hemisphere viewers and occurs in the perfect season for a long night of languishing under the stars . Because the Moon will already be presenting a significant light battle , observers will want to take extra care this year in choosing where to view because a dark sky will be vital .
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