Look Up! Summer’s First Major Meteor Shower Started This Weekend

From Good Housekeeping

• The Delta Aquariids meteor shower, one of the longest of the year, starts on Sunday, July 12 and lasts until Sunday, August 23.

• Summer’s first major shower will peak on the night of Tuesday, July 28.
  

• The Delta Aquariids will be visible from 10 p.m. to 4:30 a.m. each night, but peak viewing lasts from 2:15 to 3:15 a.m.
  

Summer may look mostly unrecognizable this year, but being cooped up inside doesn’t mean you have to miss every little thing that July has to offer. Starting this weekend, you’ll be able to watch one of nature’s most spectacular shows from the comfort of your own home.

The annual Delta Aquariids meteor shower starts this Sunday, July 12 and will be visible each night for more than a month, until Sunday, August 23. Summer’s first major cosmic event peaks the night of Tuesday, July 28, according to the American Meteor Society. They might not be as spectacular as other showers to come this year, but the Delta Aquariids are still worth a watch on a warm summer night (especially now that you’ve probably watched all the TV you can manage).

Meteors should be visible from dusk to dawn, but the peak viewing time lasts from 2:15 to 3:15 a.m. each night, according to the Griffith Observatory. To find them, identify the constellation Aquarius—they appear near (and are named for) one of its stars, Delta Aquarii.

NASA notes that the Delta Aquariids are most visible in the Southern Hemisphere, but they can be spotted from southern latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere, including the United States, as well.

To get the best chance of spotting a meteor, limit artificial light as much as possible and try to pick a night when the moon won’t be present or bright. Then just settle in, look to the south, and wait—preferably with a cool drink in tow. Under optimal viewing conditions, according to NASA, up to 20 meteors will be visible every hour.

The Delta Aquariids meteor shower is one of the longest such events of the year—some stragglers might even be visible during the famous Perseid shower, which peaks in mid-August. And even if you don’t end up spotting that flash of light, at least you’ll get out of the house for a bit.

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