The Southern delta-Aquarids Meteor Shower usually produces faint meteors, and observing meteor showers can already be tough at the best of times. Getting the best out of a meteor shower requires late nights, dark skies, a little luck, and lots of patience. The shower’s peak coincides with a full moon phase which means the skies won’t be at their darkest.
The Southern delta-Aquarids Meteor Shower appears to radiate from the constellation of Aquarius. This means the meteors will appear to emanate from a point high in the north eastern sky.
It’s parent comet is known as 96P/Machholz, discovered by the astronomer Don Machholz at the end of the last century in 1986. Comet 96P/Machholz orbits the sun every 5.3 years, getting eight times closer to the sun than the Earth. It’s thought that the debris field causing the the Southern delta-Aquarids Meteor Shower left the comet’s nucleus about 20,000 years ago.
Take a virtual tour and see how the Southern delta-Aquariid Meteor Shower is generated with this terrific 3D interactive model.
Is it worth getting out of bed for?
Unfortunately, not really. The peak of this year’s Southern delta-Aquarids coincides with a full moon which makes viewing difficult.
When and where to look:
The peak of about 25 meteors/hour is from 10pm on 30th July, with the best viewing around 2am on 31st July when the radiant point is high in the sky. The Southern delta-Aquarids Meteor Shower is active from 12th July to 28th August.
Use the above image as a guide. Astronomical images provided by SkySafari, a Simulation Curriculum Company, All rights reserved www.simulationcurriculum.com.
What is a meteor shower?
A meteor (commonly called a “shooting star”) is an unexpected, brief streak of light seen in our night sky. It’s caused when space debris, travelling up to 75km per second, enters Earth’s atmosphere. The debris can be as small as a grain of sand which burns up in the atmosphere and causes a bright streak of light to appear briefly in our night sky.
A meteor shower is a celestial spectacle where large numbers of meteors, or “shooting stars”, streak across the night sky. These dazzling events occur when Earth passes through the the trail of debris left by a comet or other object that has come into our Solar System and orbited around the Sun. Visible to the naked eye, meteor showers offer a mesmerizing display of bright streaks, adding a touch of cosmic wonder to the night.
Where’s the best place to see the meteor shower?
The best place to see a meteor shower is away from bright city lights and when the night sky is dark with no moonlight. Bright moonlight and light pollution make it harder to see fainter meteors, however you may still be able to see the brighter ones.
Travel out to a dark sky location at one of WA’s Astrotourism Towns. If you’re an astrophotographer, it is an excellent opportunity to image meteors over some of WA’s iconic landscapes.
You don’t need a telescope or binoculars to see a meteor shower. It’s a great time to gather with friends, roll out your favourite picnic rug, pack the drinks and snacks, and start counting how many “shooting stars” you all see! The predicted hourly rate of meteors presumes you’re viewing them in a perfectly dark sky and that the shower is directly overhead. Fingers crossed for a spectacular show!
Something interesting
Meteor showers are named after the constellation where the “shooting stars” appear to be coming from. If you have a handy smart phone app that helps you identify objects in the night sky, search for the constellation, and you’ll be looking in the right direction.
You might like to…
Become a citizen scientist and report meteor sightings! If you happen to see a very bright meteor (often referred to as a “fireball”), WA’s fireballs team based at Curtin University would love to know! Report your fireball sighting with the International Meteor Organization.
The International Meteor Organization is a great place to discover more about all things meteors. Check out their Meteor Shower Calendar. You might even like to become a member!