Here’s how to see this week’s double meteor shower
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Diverging Reports Breakdown
Here’s how to see this week’s double meteor shower
The Alpha Capricornids meteor shower will be most visible at 11 p.m. Tuesday. If you are viewing from the Northern Hemisphere, keep your eyes low along the southern sky. The Southern Delta Aquariids, which also are most visible in the Southern Hemisphere, make for a stronger shower. Both showers will be visible through Aug. 13, though there is some disagreement about the date on which their peaks will occur.”They’re going to kind of do a battle, shooting back and forth at each other,” says American Meteor Society official. meteor showers occur when Earth passes through debris fields left by two Jupiter-family comets: 169P/NEAT and P2008/Y12 (Southern Delta aquariids) The Perseids is not at its peak, but you might still see some of its meteors this week.. There’s the possibility of seeing 10 to 12 meteors that aren’t associated with any of these showers, according to Lunsford. It’s not a real sharp peak. You can go out (on) the 31st or the 29th and see pretty much the same activity.
The Alpha Capricornids meteor shower, which is best known for producing very bright meteors called fireballs that may look like shooting stars, will be most visible at 11 p.m. Tuesday, according to Robert Lunsford, fireball report coordinator for the American Meteor Society. Its radiant — the point at which the meteor streaks seem to originate — is in the Capricorn constellation.
The Alpha Capricornids are visible all over the world but are usually best seen from the Southern Hemisphere, in places such as Australia and Africa, according to Bill Cooke, the lead for NASA’s Meteoroid Environments Office. These meteors are expected to appear at a rate of three to five per hour. If you are viewing from the Northern Hemisphere, keep your eyes low along the southern sky to catch a glimpse.
If you stay up later, you’ll be able to see the Southern Delta Aquariids reach peak activity at 1 a.m. on Wednesday, said Lunsford. The Southern Delta Aquariids, which also are most visible in the Southern Hemisphere, make for a stronger shower than the Capricornids; people located in parts of the Northern Hemisphere such as the U.S. can expect to view up to 10 to 15 meteors per hour, while those in the Southern Hemisphere may see 20 to 25 per hour.
The Aquariids appear to stream from the southern part of the Aquarius constellation, which is around 40 degrees east of the Capricorn constellation, according to Lunsford: “They’re going to kind of do a battle, shooting back and forth at each other.”
Both showers will be visible through Aug. 13, though there is some disagreement about the date on which their peaks will occur. While experts at the American Meteor Society say peak activity will occur Tuesday night into early Wednesday, those at NASA say it will happen Wednesday night going into Thursday.
“The time of a meteor shower peak is not constant from year-to-year. It can vary by plus or minus a day or two,” Cooke said.
But missing the peak, according to Lunsford, is nothing to fret about. “It’s not a real sharp peak. …You can go out (on) the 31st or the 29th and see pretty much the same activity.”
For the best viewing, avoid areas with bright lights and objects that could obscure your view of the sky, such as tall trees or buildings. Picking a spot with a higher altitude, like a mountain or hill, may make it easier to spot these showers.
What’s so special about these showers?
According to Cook, having multiple meteor showers occur at the same time is a common phenomenon. “For example, during the Perseids, you have the remnants of the Southern Delta Aquariids going on,” he said.
Right now, the Alpha Capricornids, the Southern Delta Aquariids and Perseids are all active, and while the Perseids is not at its peak, you might still see some of its meteors this week. There’s also the possibility of seeing 10 to 12 meteors that aren’t associated with any of these showers, according to Lunsford.
Both the Alpha Capricornids and Southern Delta Aquariids become visible annually when Earth passes through debris fields left by two Jupiter-family comets: 169P/NEAT (Alpha Capricornids) and P2008/Y12 (Southern Delta Aquariids). Cook also noted that, each year, “we’re passing closer to the core of the material that produces (the Alpha Capricornids) shower and in 200 years, it’ll be the strongest shower that’s visible from Earth. It’ll actually produce more than 1,000 (meteor streaks) an hour, which is quite a bit stronger than it is now.”
For those interested in contributing to astronomers’ understanding of meteors, this week presents the perfect opportunity to count how many meteors you see in the night sky and report them to places like the American Meteor Society.
Upcoming Meteor Showers
Here are the other meteor showers to anticipate in 2025 and their peak dates, according to the American Meteor Society and EarthSky.
Perseids: Aug. 12-13
Draconids: Oct. 8-9
Orionids: Oct. 22-23
Southern Taurids: Nov. 3-4
Northern Taurids: Nov. 8-9
Leonids: Nov. 16-17
Geminids: Dec. 12-13
Ursids: Dec. 21-22
Upcoming full moons
Look out for five more full moons this year, with supermoons occurring in October, November and December.
Here’s the list of full moons remaining in 2025, according to the Farmers’ Almanac:
Aug. 9: Sturgeon moon
Sept. 7: Corn moon
Oct. 6: Harvest moon
Nov. 5: Beaver moon
Dec. 4: Cold moon
Lunar and solar eclipses in 2025
Two eclipse events will occur as summer ends.
A total lunar eclipse will be visible in Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa, parts of eastern South America, Alaska and Antarctica on Sept. 7 and 8, according to Time and Date.
A lunar eclipse occurs when Earth passes exactly between the sun and the moon, throwing the latter into shadow and making it appear darker or dimmed.
When the moon sits in the darkest part of Earth’s shadow, the sun’s rays bend around Earth and refract light on the moon’s surface, which gives it a reddish hue, according to London’s Natural History Museum. Some people call the result a “blood moon.”
Two weeks after the total lunar eclipse, a partial solar eclipse will be visible in parts of Australia, the Atlantic, the Pacific and Antarctica on Sept. 21.
Solar eclipses occur when the moon moves between the sun and Earth, blocking part of the sun’s surface from view, according to NASA. This creates a crescent shape — as if something took a “bite” out of the sun.
Double Meteor Shower: Two meteor showers are peaking tonight, here’s how to see them
Stargazers ready for exceptional meteor shower on November 21-22. The Southern Delta Aquariids are a meteor shower visible from mid-July to mid-August each year, peaking on 28 or 29 July. Alpha Capricornids is a meteor showers that takes place as early as 7 July and continues until around 15 August. The best viewing time is typically after midnight and before dawn, when the radiant point of the shower (the constellation Aquarius) is highest in the sky. Find a spot far away from city lights and light pollution, such as rural areas or national forests. The Perseid meteor shower is gearing up this year, and will peak on August 12–13, though a bright full moon may dampen visibility this year. However, if you catch you’re Eta Aquariid’s show, especially early in the evening, especially catch you flying from northern skies.
Southern Delta Aquariids
and the
Alpha Capricornids
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Double meteor shower: What makes it special
How to witness the celestial star show (when and where)
Time:
Look direction:
Location:
Eyes on the sky, no equipment needed:
Be patient:
What’s next?
Stargazers ready for exceptional meteor shower on November 21-22
This one’s a double bonanza for the stargazers! You don’t have to run to a Coldplay concert to witness a sky full of stars, for tonight, the sky is set to host not just one but two meteor showers at their peak!This rare cosmic double‑feature promises up to 25 shooting stars per hour, with fireballs lighting up the dark skies. Cherry on the cake? You don’t even need a telescope to witness the surreal wonder under the sky!On the night of July 29–30, Earth slices through debris trails from two comets simultaneously. The Southern Delta Aquariids, shed by Comet 96P/Machholz, produce faint but steady meteors, best seen from the Southern Hemisphere. Meanwhile, the Alpha Capricornids, from Comet 169P/NEAT, offer rarer but brighter fireballs that light up the night sky.The Southern Delta Aquariids are a meteor shower visible from mid-July to mid-August each year, peaking on 28 or 29 July. The shower travels at a velocity of 25 miles per second, according to the American Meteor Society (AMS), and is best seen by those living further south.On the other hand, Alpha Capricornids is a meteor shower that takes place as early as 7 July and continues until around 15 August. The meteor shower was discovered by Hungarian astronomer Miklos von Konkoly-Thege in 1871. This shower has infrequent but relatively bright meteors, with some fireballs.Individually, each shower is mild: the Aquariids typically generate 15–20 meteors per hour, and the Capricornids around 5 per hour.However, together, they offer a lovely blend: they deliver a show of up to 25 meteors per hour, and under dark, moon‑free skies, even more.The best viewing time is typically after midnight and before dawn, when the radiant point of the shower (the constellation Aquarius) is highest in the sky. Capricornids peak around midnight, while Aquariids crest closer to 2-3 a.m. local time. The moon will be a waxing crescent with minimal illumination (23–27% of its surface lit up), setting early in the evening, which provides darker skies and better visibility for even fainter meteors.Look towards the southern sky to observe the Southern Delta Aquariids. The radiant point (where the meteors seem to originate) for the Alpha Capricornids is within the constellation Capricornus, which is located in the southern part of the sky. However, meteors can appear anywhere, so scanning the entire southern sky is best.Find a spot far away from city lights and light pollution, such as rural areas or national forests. Consider looking for certified International Dark Sky Parks, which offer optimal viewing conditions.Give your eyes at least 20-30 minutes to adapt to the darkness for optimal viewing. Avoid looking at any bright lights, including your phone, during this time. You don’t need a telescope or binoculars to see the meteors; your naked eyes are sufficient. In fact, meteors can appear anywhere in the sky, so a wider field of view is better.Alpha Capricornids are known for producing fewer meteors (about 5 per hour at their peak) but are notable for their bright fireballs. The shower will last until dawn, giving you plenty of time to catch glimpses of meteors. The Southern Delta Aquariids tend to be fainter than other meteor showers like the Perseids, so patience is crucial for spotting them.Think you might miss this window for the free of cost light show? Don’t worry! The legendary Perseid meteor shower is gearing up and will peak on August 12–13, though a bright full moon may dampen visibility this year. However, Eta Aquariids and early Perseid activity might sneak into tonight’s show, especially if you catch meteors flying from northern skies.
Source: https://www.ksl.com/article/51352932/heres-how-to-see-this-weeks-double-meteor-shower