Southern Delta Aquariids and Alpha Capricornids meteor showers will peak this week
Late July is one of the best times to catch a meteor shower.
Stargazers could be treated to multiple displays of meteor showers during the final days of July.
Both the Alpha Capricornids and Southern Delta Aquariids are forecast to peak on Thursday, according to the American Meteor Society (AMS).
The Alpha Capricornids, known to produce three meteors per hour and occasionally bright fireballs, began on July 7 and will run through Aug. 13.
The meteors appear slow-moving and some seem brighter than any of the surrounding stars, AMS noted.
They radiate -- or appear to originate from -- near the area of Alpha Capricorni, a double star visible to the naked eye, during late July. This area of the sky rises in the east at about 8 p.m. Local Daylight Time, but very little activity can be seen at this time because many of the meteors are blocked by the horizon.
The Southern Delta Aquariids began on July 19 and are forecast to last until Aug. 13, according to AMS.
To catch a glimpse, astronomers advise looking toward the radiant near southwestern Aquarius, just west of the star known as Delta Aquarii, about 40 degrees east of the Alpha Capricornids.
They rise at about 10 p.m. LDT and are highest in the sky around 3 a.m. LDT. The Southern Delta Aquariids are easier to differentiate from the Alpha Capricornids because they are much faster -- typically less than a second -- according to AMS.
Late July is one of the best times to catch a meteor shower.
The Perseids, considered the best meteor shower of the year, began on July 17 and will last until the end of the month, AMS said.
Perseids meteors are known for their "swift and bright" fireballs -- leaving long wakes of lights and color as they streak through the atmosphere -- as well as the frequency of meteors, according to NASA. The Perseids can produce between 50 and 100 meteors per hours under a clear, dark sky.
However, heavy light from the full Buck moon, which begins on Wednesday, could hamper visibility.
For the Alpha Capricornids, astronomers recommend waiting to view them until later at night, when the radiant has gained more altitude and the moon has set, AMS noted.
Best viewing times for the Southern Delta Aquariids are in the early morning, as hourly rates can reach five to 10 meteors around 3 a.m., AMS said. Hourly rates are even higher in the southern hemisphere, where the radiant lies overhead, and can reach between 10 to 20 meteors per hour, according to the meteor group. However, AMS notes that it can vary depending on moonlight and weather conditions.
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