Look for Meteors Tonight
The Delta Aquariids will remain active over the next few nights. The best viewing will be after midnight, once the moon sets.
I went out to view the shower Sunday night around Midnight. I saw 19 meteors over the course of two hours. While not a major meteor producer, the Aquariids will produce bright, long-lasting meteors.
There were also a few Perseid meteors in the mix. They are known for producing long lasting trails in the wake of meteors. I saw a few of these last night and they were beautiful!
Likely an Aquariid meteor shower spotted Saturday night in western Pennsylvania by AccuWeather Astronomy fried Ronald Shawley.
The shower peaked Sunday night . But, hourly meteor rates will not drop off significantly over the next few nights.
Hourly meteor rates will be higher the further south you are. For example, from Florida and Texas to California, you will be looking at as many as 20 meteors per hour. Meanwhile, the states straddling the Canadian border will have closer to 10 meteors per hour. The absolute highest rates will be near and south of the equator, where 25-30 or higher per hour are expected.
The best time to view this shower is towards midnight and the overnight hours. The moon will set after 1 a.m. tonight. The radiant is highest in the sky around 3 a.m., local time.
You can also see a few early Perseid meteors tonight. You will know the difference. The Perseids usually move from north to south across the sky and are quicker than the Aquariid meteors.
Viewing Conditions
Viewing conditions will again be favorable across most of the eastern U.S.
This shower will produce more frequent meteors in the Southern Hemisphere. Here are the sky conditions maps for folks down there!
Meteor Viewing Tips
Pack a lot of patience. Look after moon set (~2am) for the best results.You will have to dedicate a solid hour to being outside without looking at any single light source. That means no phones, fires, street lights or anything! Your eyes will completely adjust to the darkness in about half an hour, then you should see some activity during the next half hour. You may go 5-10 minutes without seeing a thing. But, one nice meteor will make it worthwhile! Good luck! Thanks for reading. Just look up, you never know what you will see!
