July will see the convergence of 2 meteor showers. Here's what to know and when to watch

Delaware News Journal

Warm summer nights are the perfect time to stargaze, and luckily for you, July will see two meteor showers.

Here’s what to know if you plan on tuning in.

July 2024 meteor showers

The milky way and meteors of the April Lyrids annual meteor shower are seen in the night sky over Burg auf Fehmarn on the Baltic Sea island of Fehmarn, northern Germany, on April 20, 2018.

Both Delta Aquarids – stemming from the constellation Aquarius – and the Alpha Capricornids – stemming from the constellation Capricorn – will appear in the night sky this month, according to Earth.com.

What meteor showers will be visible in July?

The Milky Way shines over a Joshua Tree. Thousands of people came tonight in to see the northern lights illuminate the night sky over the Joshua Tree National Park, California. Unfortunately, there was no aurora Borealis to be seen this Saturday.

The Delta Aquarids produce medium-speed meteors that are faint, while the Alpha Capricornids produce slow-moving bright meteors, according to the Society for Popular Astronomy.

The Aquarids will be the grander of the two showers and is believed to be remnants of the comet 96P Machholz. During the shower’s peak, viewers could witness up to 25 shooting stars each hour. The Capricornids shower will show viewers five shooting stars per hour, according to Earth.com.

When to watch the July meteor showers

A man points his light at the Milky Way during the peak of the Perseid meteor shower at Mavrovo national park in Macedonia August 12, 2018. REUTERS/OgnenTeofilovski TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

The Delta Aquarids will be around from July 12 to Aug. 23 and the Alpha Capricornids will be around from July 5 to Aug. 15, according to the Society for Popular Astronomy.

EarthSky.org reports that both meteor showers will peak on the night of July 30 through early morning on July 31. The best time to watch them will be after midnight.

The best spot for viewing is a dark area away from city lights with a clear view of the sky. If it’s a high-altitude location, that’s even better.

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Make sure you arrive about half an hour before the showers begin to give your eyes time to adjust to the darkness. This allows you to better see fainter meteors, according to Earth.com.

The event will mostly be visible in the Southern Hemisphere, but people in the southern latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere can also enjoy it.

Alongside this double spectacle, viewers may also see early activity from the Perseids meteor shower.

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