Everything you need to know about the two meteor showers that will cross the sky at the same time

July was a month of great cosmic activity, and at the end of the month it still had a gift in store for us: a double meteor shower.

Near Southern Delta Aquarids meteor shower, which will peak in late July. And this year it will coincide with a second, smaller meteor shower. “Alpha Capricornids”.

The Delta Aquarids occur every year in late summer in North America. This year’s peak activity will occur early Tuesday morning, July 30. with a forecast of 15 to 20 visible meteors per hour in the northern hemisphere, under the dark sky.

In the southern hemisphere, observation will be even better. According to American Meteor Society, The rain will last until August 21.

Around the same time, the Alpha Capricornid meteor shower will produce about five meteors per hour. will last until August 15.

Here’s what you need to know about the Delta Aquarids and other meteor showers.

Several meteor showers occur each year, and no special equipment is needed to see them.

Most meteor showers originate from the remains of comets. The Delta Aquarids are thought to have originated from comet 96P/Machholz. And the Alpha Capricornids are thought to have originated from comet 169P/NEAT.

When rocks from space hit the Earth’s atmosphere, air resistance makes them very hot. This causes the air around them to glow and briefly leave behind a fiery tail: what we commonly call a “shooting star”.

Pockets of glowing air surrounding fast-moving space rocks, the size of a particle of dust or rock larger than 10 inches, They can be seen in the night sky.

These two meteor showers are small in volume, but the Alpha Capricornids shower typically produces very bright meteors, says astronomer Don Pollacco of the University of Warwick.

For skywatchers, “one bright (star) is worth 20 dim (stars),” he said.

Meteor showers are usually more visible between midnight and before dawn.

Shooting stars are easier to see under dark skies, away from city lights. Meteor showers are also brighter on clear nights when the moon is at its waning point.

And your eyes will be better suited to seeing meteors if you’re not looking at your phone. “It messes with your night vision,” says Bill Cook of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

The southern hemisphere will have the best views of the Delta Aquarids. When the Moon is about 30% full, which coincides with the waning Moon, the clearest vision will occur after midnight.

The Meteor Society maintains an up-to-date list of upcoming major meteor showers, including peak weather days and moonlight conditions.

The next great meteor shower will be the Perseids, which will reach Its peak occurs in mid-August.