If skies are clear over the next couple of weeks, it’s likely you’ll see at least a couple of meteors (or “shooting stars”) crossing the night sky. We’ve got two meteor showers that will be seen…the first of which will be weaker…the second of which will likely be partially obscured by the light of the moon. The overlap between the two may be the best time to view. Here are the details…
The Delta Aquarid meteor shower should be seen fairly steadily through late July and early August, at a rate of about 15-20 per hour. The best viewing should take place in the couple of hours before dawn.
The Perseid meteor shower will peak in the early morning hours of August 12-13. The problem is that a full moon will interfere with the viewing, allowing only the brightest ones to be seen well. Otherwise, you might have seen well over 50 meteors an hour! There will be a gradual build to that peak, meaning the first meteors may be seen during the first week of August when there’s not as much moonlight to interfere. Likewise, there will be a week or so after the peak that a few stragglers will be seen. No matter the date, the best time to view is after midnight into the pre-dawn hours.
The best overall view may occur during the first week of August…when the initial Perseids overlap the tail end if the Delta Aquarids. This could yield 20-30 meteors per hour.
With the heat we’ve had lately, the late night/early morning hours are the most comfortable time to be outside anyway…enjoy!
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