Chance to see the Delta Aquarids meteor shower

Vietnamese astronomy enthusiasts have the opportunity to watch the Delta Aquarids meteor shower, which will peak on the night of July 28 and early morning of July 29.

The Delta Aquarids meteor shower occurs annually from mid-July to mid-August and can be seen all over the world. The phenomenon is caused by Comet 96P Machholz, a short-period comet that last made a close approach to the Sun in 2017.

Mr. Dang Vu Tuan Son, Chairman of the Vietnam Astronomy and Cosmology Association (VACA), said that the Delta Aquarids is an average meteor shower (no more than 20 meteors per hour), the main time to observe when it reaches its peak on the night of July 28 and early morning of July 29. On other nearby nights, if the weather is nice and you are a little lucky, you can still see some Delta Aquarids meteors streaking across the sky.

Most of the meteors of this phenomenon will occur in the vicinity of the constellation Aquarius. In Vietnam, they can be clearly observed in the southern sky at around 2am.

A meteor streaks across the sky over North Carolina on August 11, 2021. Photo: James Reynolds/earthsky

Meteor showers are easily observed with the naked eye because they occur continuously over a long period of time and do not require any supporting equipment. However, Mr. Son said that observing conditions are very important. Viewers need to choose a wide viewing angle, with little pollution (light and dust), and especially a clear sky.

"A simple rule to observe a meteor shower is to look at a cloudless night sky for a few minutes to let your eyes get used to the darkness, and if you can count more than 20 stars in the sky, you will have a chance to see a meteor," he said.

The shower's epicenter is in the constellation Aquarius. He also suggests an easier way to find the constellation is by looking at the "Great Square of Pegasus" formed by four bright stars in Pegasus.

Location of the constellation Aquarius. Photo: Vietnam Astronomy and Cosmology Association

Meteor showers occur when debris left behind by comets crosses Earth's orbit. Each time a comet passes through Earth's orbit, a portion of the comet's body breaks off, leaving behind a trail of small meteorites. When our planet passes through this area, the debris (meteorites) enter Earth's atmosphere and burn up, creating shooting stars.

He added that during the last days of the Delta Aquarids meteor shower (first half of August), the sky may be mixed with some other meteors of the Perseids meteor shower, the big meteor shower will peak on the night of August 12-13.

Nhu Quynh

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