2 meteor showers to peak at same time on Tuesday night
An astronomical doubleheader will light up the summer sky, bringing the best chance to see shooting stars in months as the Alpha Capricornids and the Southern Delta Aquariids peak.
The summer night sky will be adorned with shooting stars during the combined peak of the Delta Aquarid and Alpha Capricornid meteor showers on July 29-30. Anna Azallion shares how to see the event.
The final nights of July will bring the best chance since spring to spot shooting stars, thanks to the combined peak of two minor meteor showers: the Alpha Capricornids and the Southern Delta Aquariids.
Individually, these showers don’t generate much buzz—but together, they can produce up to 20 meteors per hour Tuesday night. Some of those meteors may appear as exceptionally bright fireballs, flaring briefly to rival the brightness of the moon.
Two meteors streaking in front of the Milky Way on a summer night. (Getty Images)
"Late July in 2025 will be a great time to view meteor activity, as the moon will be in the evening sky and setting before the activity is strongest," the American Meteor Society (AMS) explained on its website.
The best viewing window is between midnight and 3 a.m., local time, although a few stray meteors may streak across the sky earlier or later in the night.
Unlike most meteor showers that peak over just one or two nights, these late-July showers are long-running. That means any night through the end of the month and into early August should offer a decent chance to catch a shooting star.
"The key to seeing the most activity is to be rested and comfortable," the AMS added. "A reclining chair is best looking southward about half-way up in the sky."
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Some of the meteors you spot may not belong to the Alpha Capricornids or the Southern Delta Aquariids, as another celestial show is just beginning to ramp up.
The Perseids, one of the most popular meteor showers of the year, has officially started. Known for its warm summer timing and high meteor count—up to 100 meteors per hour at its peak—the Perseids will continue to build in intensity over the next few weeks.
If you see a meteor streaking from the northern sky, there’s a good chance it’s an early arrival from the Perseids.
Meteor activity will gradually increase heading into August, with the Perseids peaking on the night of Aug. 12-13.
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