{"id":802034,"date":"2026-07-14T20:32:11","date_gmt":"2026-07-14T20:32:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/802034\/"},"modified":"2026-07-14T20:32:11","modified_gmt":"2026-07-14T20:32:11","slug":"meteor-shower-to-begin-building-toward-late-july-peak-play-103-7","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/802034\/","title":{"rendered":"Meteor shower to begin building toward late-July peak | play 103.7"},"content":{"rendered":"

FORT McMURRAY \u2014 A summer meteor shower is beginning to produce shooting stars over the Northern Hemisphere, offering skywatchers several weeks of activity before reaching its peak near the end of July.<\/p>\n

The Southern Delta Aquariid meteor shower is active from mid-July through August, with activity gradually increasing as Earth moves deeper into a stream of debris associated with Comet 96P\/Machholz.<\/p>\n

Unlike meteor showers with brief and pronounced peaks, the Southern Delta Aquariids produce relatively steady activity over several weeks.<\/p>\n

The shower is expected to reach maximum activity around July 30, when up to 25 meteors per hour could be visible under ideal conditions.<\/p>\n

However, a nearly full moon will brighten the sky during this year\u2019s peak, making many of the shower\u2019s fainter meteors difficult to see. (American Meteor Society<\/a>)<\/p>\n

Richard Covey, an astrophotographer and member of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, said the gradual nature of the shower means observers do not necessarily need to wait until peak night.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Delta Aquariids are more of a marathon than a sprint,\u201d Covey said. \u201cThey slowly build through the second half of July, so any clear night over the next few weeks could produce a few meteors.\u201d<\/p>\n

The shower favours observers in the Southern Hemisphere, where its radiant point climbs higher into the sky, but meteors can also be seen from Canada.<\/p>\n

The radiant, or point from which the meteors appear to originate, is located in the constellation Aquarius. From northern latitudes, observers generally have better opportunities during the hours after midnight when Aquarius is higher above the southern horizon.<\/p>\n

Covey said people should avoid concentrating exclusively on Aquarius when watching for meteors.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t need a telescope, binoculars or even to know where Aquarius is,\u201d Covey said. \u201cFind the darkest place you safely can, give your eyes 20 or 30 minutes to adjust and watch as much of the sky as possible.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Southern Delta Aquariids are generally faint, medium-speed meteors travelling through Earth\u2019s atmosphere at about 41 kilometres per second.<\/p>\n

Researchers believe the shower is associated with Comet 96P\/Machholz, although astronomers have historically debated the precise origin of the debris stream.<\/p>\n

As Earth passes through the stream, small particles enter the atmosphere and produce streaks of light as they heat the surrounding air.<\/p>\n

The Southern Delta Aquariids will also begin overlapping with the Perseid meteor shower later this month, gradually increasing the number of meteors visible during the overnight hours.<\/p>\n

Covey said distinguishing between the showers can be done by tracing a meteor\u2019s path backward across the sky.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf the path leads back toward Aquarius, you\u2019ve probably caught a Delta Aquariid,\u201d Covey said. \u201cIf it traces back toward Perseus in the northeast, you\u2019re looking at an early Perseid.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Southern Delta Aquariids are expected to remain active into August, while the Perseids will continue building toward their peak in mid-August. (earthsky.org<\/a>)<\/p>\n

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