Get ready for a double meteor shower.
The Southern Delta Aquariid meteor shower peaks in late July. And this year, it will coincide with a second, smaller meteor shower, the Alpha Capricornids.
The Delta Aquariids occur every year in the late North American summer. This year’s peak activity takes place on Tuesday morning, with a forecast of 15 to 20 meteors visible per hour in the Northern Hemisphere, under dark skies. Viewing should be even better in the Southern Hemisphere. The rain lasts until August 21, according to the American Meteor Society.
Around the same time, the Alpha Capricornid meteor shower is expected to produce around five meteors per hour and last until August 15th.
Here’s what you should know about the Delta Aquariids and other meteor showers.
What is a meteor shower?
Multiple meteor showers occur annually and you don’t need special equipment to see them.
Most meteor showers originate from comet debris. The origin of the Delta Aquariids is believed to be comet 96P/Machholz. The Alpha Capricornids originate from comet 169P/NEAT.
When rocks from space enter Earth’s atmosphere, air resistance makes them very hot. This causes the air to glow around them and briefly leave a tail of fire behind them – the end of a “shooting star”.
Bright air pockets surrounding fast-moving space rocks, ranging from the size of a dust particle to a rock, may be visible in the night sky.
These two meteor showers are not large in volume, but the Alpha Capricornids often produce very bright meteors, said University of Warwick astronomer Don Pollacco.
For skywatchers, “one bright is worth 20 faint,” he said.
How to see a meteor shower
Meteor showers are generally most visible between midnight and before dawn.
It’s easier to see shooting stars under dark skies, away from city lights. Meteor showers also appear brightest on cloudless nights when the moon wanes.
And your eyes will adapt better to seeing meteors if you’re not checking your phone. “It ruins your night vision,” said NASA’s Bill Cooke.
The Southern Hemisphere will have the best view of the Delta Aquariids. Coinciding with a gibbous moon around 30% full means the clearest viewing will happen after midnight.
When will the next meteor shower be?
The meteor society maintains an updated list of upcoming major meteor showers, including peak viewing days and moonlight conditions.
The next big meteor shower will be the Perseids, peaking in mid-August.
This story originally appeared on Time.com read the full story
