Look up! Two meteor showers are set to illuminate our skies just days apart
The two events in question are the Delta Aquariids and the Alpha Capricornids showers, which occupy the southern sky and are both most visible in the Southern Hemisphere – so we're in luck! In an extremely rare alignment last year, the Delta Aquarids and the Alpha Capricornids meteor showers peaked on the very same night. This year, the double act will happen just days apart – with the Delta Aquarids lighting up the skies on July 28 and the Alpha Capricornids following on July 30.
When to see the Delta Aquariids and Alpha Capricornids in Melbourne and Victoria?
The Delta Aquariids will peak first on Monday, July 28, with the Alpha Capricornids shower reaching their brightest on Wednesday, July 30.
According to associate professor Devika Kamath from Macquarie University's School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, the best viewing window is between midnight and 4am (AEST) from July 28 to 31, when both showers are active and the moon is mercifully out of the way.
What can you expect to see on the night?
At its absolute peak on July 28, the Delta Aquariids could produce up to a whopping 20 shooting stars per hour (given the sky is totally dark and clear). Although fainter, the Alpha Capricornids meteor shower is famous for producing impressively bright fireballs, and you can expect to see two to five meteors per hour – even in areas with light pollution.
How to see the double meteor shower in Australia?
In order to spot this sparkly sight, it helps to have a little bit of astronomic know-how. Being able to locate various constellations and celestial bodies helps a lot, as these meteor showers will radiate from the Aquarius and Capricornus constellations. Fortunately, there are plenty of astrology resources online to help you with this.
Other tips to bear in mind for meteor-spotting are heading to your chosen stargazing spot in the early hours of the morning and ensuring you wait long enough to give your eyes time to adjust to the darkness (about half an hour). And considering it is the depths of winter, bring plenty of warm layers and blankets!
'In the early evening, the radiants (the points where meteors appear to originate) rise in the northeast,' adds Kamath. 'By midnight, they're high in the northern sky, and by pre-dawn, they drift toward the northwest. Scanning this arc will maximise your chances of catching long, dramatic trails.'
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