Here's The Time To Head Outside If You Want To See The Delta Aquariids Meteor Shower
We're well into July, the Delta Aquariids meteor shower is upon us, and honestly, what's more romantic than watching shooting stars with someone you love? I mean, if summer can include countless wishes upon meteors blasting through our atmosphere and memories forever tinged by a blazing night sky, how could you possibly turn such a magical prospect down? Well, I'm here to let you know that you've got every opportunity to witness a cosmic parade of fireworks, which probably already has you wondering: What time is the Delta Aquariids meteor shower? After all, you've got to plan ahead, because you can't always wait for the shooting stars to come to you. In life, you often have to seek them out yourself.
This mystical and enchanting astronomical event typically begins its peak activity on July 12 and continues all the way until around August 23, according to NASA. Luckily, this also means that you have plenty of time to see them and there's not one specific time that you need to plan for. However, the days you really need to set aside for shooting star viewing are July 27 and July 28, according to EarthSky.org, since you'll have the best chance of seeing meteors burn through the sky then.
While July 27-28 will contain the most meteors from the Delta Aquariids, it's not the only reason to set aside time to plan for something spectacular. July 27 also happens to be the same evening as a total lunar eclipse in Aquarius, making it an absolutely phenomenal time for astrology and astronomy enthusiasts alike. Sure, it's definitely cool that a blood moon will rise in the midst of a shower of shooting stars. However, the best part about the synchronicity of these two events is that while the blood moon is in Aquarius, the radiant of the Delta Aquariids — the area of the sky from which the meteors appear to originate — is the constellation Aquarius, the sign of the water bearer. Ah, I can feel the cleansing and revitalizing effects already.
Clearly, the spiritual energy of the Delta Aquariids and the lunar eclipse will be intense, which is wonderful considering that much of the world will have a hard time actually seeing them. While the blood moon will be visible only from places such as Africa, Australia, the Middle East, southern Asia, and the Indian Ocean, according to Space.com, the Delta Aquariids are best seen from the Southern Hemisphere and the southernmost latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere, according to NASA. Only a small collection of special souls will be able to see both at the same time. However, we will all certainly feel their galvanizing and transformative power.
In the case of the Delta Aquariids, you're not completely out of luck when it comes to catching sight of a shooting star if you're not in the prime location. Glimpsing a meteor from the Delta Aquariids has certainly been known to happen if you live further north, especially if you do it the right way. And if you miss your chance, there are plenty of shooting stars to come, especially when the Perseid meteor shower overlaps with the Delta Aquariids in August, and the Perseid meteor shower is even easier to see from the Northern Hemisphere.
According to Mirror.co.uk, the best time to watch the Delta Aquariids is around 2 a.m., in all time zones. Make sure you set yourself up in a place that's far away from any sort of light pollution so that it doesn't subdue the brightness of the shooting stars. NASA also recommends that you allow your eyes to adjust to pure darkness for at least 30 minutes beforehand, so that not even the faintest meteor escapes your sight.
