Its first peak, the Delta Aquarids meteor shower, is expected around 6 a.m. EDT (10 a.m. UTC) Friday, according to the
EarthSky. Its radiation – the point from which meteor tracks appear – rises at midday, reaches its highest point around 2 a.m. local time and is low in the sky at dawn.
When the earth revolves around the sun, it encounters
An unbalanced orbit of a comet, whose icy surface leaves behind dust and rocks as they boil from the heat of the sun. When these space rocks fall toward our atmosphere, “the resistance – or drag – of the air on the rock makes it extremely hot,” according to
NASA. “What we’re seeing is a ‘shooting star’. This bright streak isn’t actually a rock, it’s hot, glowing air as hot rocks shoot through the atmosphere.
It is suspected that its origin
Comet 96P Machholz, the southern delta meteor shower occurs anytime between July 12 and August 23 annually. It can be seen best by people in the southern hemisphere and southern latitudes in the northern hemisphere, according to NASA. However, a dark, moonless sky is crucial, EarthSky confirmed. It only fits the moon
1% full during the peak.
Meteorites, which tend to number from 10 to 20 per hour and fly quickly
25 miles (41 kilometers) per secondis most visible between 2 a.m. and 3 a.m. in all time zones when the fainter constellation Aquarius the Water Bearer—the shower’s radiant point—is highest in the sky, according to
EarthSky. About 5% to 10% of Delta Aquariid meteors leave stationary, glowing droplets and trails of ionized gas that remain for a second or two after the meteor passes.
If you go out 30 minutes before you shower, your eyes can adjust to the dark, according to
NASA. For those in the Southern Hemisphere, the radiation is closer to the top; People in the northern hemisphere should look at the southern part of the sky. You do not need to use a telescope. For a perfect view, NASA suggested finding an area away from artificial light and lying on your back, observing as much of the sky as possible.
How to watch Alpha Capricorn meteor
After the Delta Aquariids peak, the peak will be the Alpha Capricornids meteor showers, which occur on Saturday and Sunday while the moon is only 5% full, according to the
American Meteor Society.
This shower is not very powerful and rarely emits more than five meteors per hour, according to the community. However, Alpha Capricornids tend to produce bright fireballs during their peak and can be seen well by people on both sides of the equator.
Other space events this year
According to EarthSky, there are more meteor showers you can catch during the remainder of 2022.
2022 meteor shower guide:
- August 13: Perseids
- October 9: Draconids
- October 21: Orionids
- November 5: South Taurids
- November 12: North of Torres
- November 18: Leonids
- December 14: Geminids
- December 22: Ursids
You’ll also be able to see five more full moons in 2022, according to
Old farmer’s calendar:
- August 11: Sturgeon Moon
- September 10: Harvest Moon
- October 9: Hunter’s Moon
- November 8: Beaver Moon
- December 7: Cold Moon
There will be another total lunar eclipse and a partial solar eclipse in 2022, according to the old farmer’s calendar. A partial solar eclipse on October 25 will be visible to people in Greenland, Iceland, Europe, northeastern Africa, the Middle East, western Asia, India and western China.
The total lunar eclipse on November 8 can be seen in Asia, Australia, the Pacific, South America and North America between 3:01 a.m. ET and 8:58 a.m. ET. But for people in eastern North America, the moon will be setting during that time.
Wear appropriate eclipse glasses to view a solar eclipse safely, as sunlight can damage the eyes.
