The July Full Moon is over, but there are several more cosmic events awaiting stargazers. You can catch three meteor showers this month, whether you are in the Northern or Southern Hemisphere. Alpha Capricornids, Perseids meteor shower and Southern Delta Aquariids will be visible in the night sky at different times in July. The meteor showers will peak on a few dates, which will range between July and August. Some of these originate from well-known comets. Here is when to watch the meteor showers.
The Alpha Capricornids, a modest meteor shower, will begin on July 12. It originates in the constellation Capricorn. The frequency of the falling meteors is less, although the shower itself is quite bright. This meteor shower will peak on the nights of July 29 to 30. The Alpha Capricornids are remnants of the short-period comet 169/NEAT. Not a lot of meteors are visible even at their peak, but still, for stargazers, this is an opportunity to catch a cosmic spectacle that dates back millions of years. Each hour, only about five meteors can be seen at the peak of the shower. However, the brightness of the meteor will surprise you. Ideally, to see a meteor shower, one needs to be in a place with minimal light pollution. However, the Alpha Capricornids are very bright and can be seen in places with light pollution. The Moon’s waxing crescent phase during its peak will create the best conditions to see the meteor shower. The best time to see the Alpha Capricornids is after 10 pm. Also Read: Unusually large orange full moon greets Earthlings. Why was the moon orange?
The Perseids Meteor Shower is a very well-known meteor shower and the star of the summer season. The meteors will start becoming visible in mid-July and will continue well into August. The Perseids meteor shower will peak from August 12 to 13. The shower originates from Comet Swift-Tuttle, which takes a whopping 133 years to complete one orbit of the Sun. It generates a high number of meteors per hour that can be easily seen at its peak. Perseids produce 5-75 meteors every hour. However, it is best viewed under dark conditions and in places with minimal light pollution. The meteor shower will continue throughout August. This year, its peak will coincide with a waxing gibbous Moon, making the conditions to view them unsuitable. The best time to watch the Perseids will be after midnight.
The Southern Delta Aquariids will also grace the night sky in the second half of July. The first appearance will be around July 18. The Southern Delta Aquariids are remnants of the short-period comet 96P/Macholz. The meteor shower will reach its peak on July 29 and 30. The Southern Delta Aquariids originate in the constellation Aquarius. The number of meteors produced per hour isn’t a lot, with only 25-30 visible. But, it produced a lot many meteors in 1977 and 2003. So, it can surprise you once again. These meteors are different from others because they leave a trail behind, making them a fascinating cosmic wonder. The viewing conditions would be ideal because of the waxing crescent Moon that will set early.