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Twin Meteor Showers to Peak Overnight July 29–30

Late July’s waning crescent moon provides the dark predawn window needed to witness both the Southern Delta Aquariids and Alpha Capricornids ahead of moonlit conditions affecting the Perseids.

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Overview

  • The Southern Delta Aquariids will produce up to 25 faint meteors per hour during their peak from late July 29 into the predawn of July 30.
  • The Alpha Capricornids, though only yielding about five meteors per hour, will feature bright, slow-moving fireballs that linger in the sky.
  • Both showers originate from distinct comet debris—Comet 96P/Machholz for the Aquariids and Comet 169P/NEAT for the Capricornids.
  • Optimal viewing falls between midnight and 4 a.m. local time in dark, rural locations where the radiants of Aquarius and Capricornus rise highest.
  • The Perseid meteor shower remains active at about 5–15 meteors per hour until its August peak, which will be obscured by a full Sturgeon Moon on August 9–13.