Aqauriids and Capricornids peak early next week in double meteor shower madness
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Skywatchers have a treat with the peak of two meteor showers: the Southern Delta Aquariids from Monday night into early Tuesday, and the Alpha Capricornids from late Tuesday to early Wednesday.
The Southern Delta Aquariids began July 18 and will be active through Aug. 21, peaking on the Monday night and early Tuesday. The shower, originating from the debris of a comet, typically produces around 20 meteors per hour at its peak. These meteors are best viewed in the Southern Hemisphere, but Northern observers can also enjoy the show by looking toward the constellation Aquarius. The meteors from this shower are usually faint, and move at a leisurely pace of 25 miles per second, making them easier to spot under ideal conditions.
The Alpha Capricornids, active from July 3 to Aug. 15, will peak on Tuesday night into Wednesday morning. This meteor shower is known for its bright fireballs, despite producing fewer meteors per hour compared to the Southern Delta Aquariids. Observers can expect around five meteors per hour, but the brilliance of the fireballs makes this shower particularly noteworthy.
Unfortunately, viewing conditions for both meteor showers this year might not be ideal for those in Indiana. The moon, just shy of half full, will add light pollution, making fainter meteors harder to see. Moreover, weather forecasts predict cloudy and stormy conditions around the peak dates, potentially obstructing the view of the night sky. While there’s still time for the weather to change, Friday’s predictions were not favorable for meteor watching.
To maximize the chance of seeing the meteor showers, find a location well away from city lights and allow the eyes to adjust to the darkness. The best viewing times will be in the early morning hours, around 2 a.m. local time, when the radiant points of both showers are highest in the sky. Even if conditions aren’t perfect, these meteor showers offer a spectacular celestial event worth attempting to observe.