The summer season of meteor showers begins this week. First up are the delta Aquariids. As the name suggests the meteors radiate from a point in the constellation of Aquarius, the water bearer. This is an admittedly modest shower with just 15 to 20 meteors expected an hour at the peak but it is also a forgiving one. Instead of a sharp peak in number, the shower is spread out over a week or more. So taking a look any time between now and the end of the month presents a good chance of seeing something. The chart shows the position of the delta Aquariids’ radiant at 03:00 BST on 26 July 2019. Between the early hours and dawn is usually the best time to see meteors. Look at the sky around the radiant, rather than straight at it.
As well as the delta Aquariids, the alpha Capricornid meteors will also be active during the last week of July. These are a weaker shower with just five-six meteors an hour.
