On the night of July 30, stargazers will be treated to a celestial double feature as two meteor showers peak simultaneously. The Delta Aquariids and the Alpha Capricornids will illuminate the sky, offering a spectacular show particularly visible from southern latitudes. During the darkest hours, observers can expect to see a meteor every two minutes, with the Delta Aquariids contributing up to 25 meteors per hour. Although the Alpha Capricornids will be less frequent, they promise to be notably brighter, potentially including dazzling fireballs. The American Meteor Society notes that while the Alpha Capricornids are not prolific, the brilliance of their fireballs makes them worth the watch.
These meteor showers derive their names from their radiant points, which are the locations in the sky from which the meteors appear to originate. The Delta Aquariids seem to come from the constellation Aquarius, near the star Delta Aquarii, while the Alpha Capricornids appear to emerge from the constellation Capricornus, near the star Alpha Capricorni. This proximity in the sky means that on the night of their peak, it may be challenging to distinguish between the two showers. The Delta Aquariids are the result of debris from the 96P Machholz comet, whereas the Alpha Capricornids come from the remnants of comet 169P/NEAT. Both showers span several weeks, with the Delta Aquariids visible from July 18 to August 21, and the Alpha Capricornids from July 3 to August 15, providing ample opportunity for skywatchers to witness this astronomical event.
