How to see the Delta Aquariid meteor shower in the UK

The National

12 hours ago

In 2025, the annual Delta Aquariid meteor shower will be active from July 12 to August 23.
The peak of the meteor shower will be towards the end of July.
Here is all you need to know about the Delta Aquariid meteor shower and how to view it in the UK.
What is the Delta Aquariid meteor shower?
As explained by the National Space Centre (NSC) website, meteor showers are when the Earth passes through the debris of a comet.
"The dust and gas left behind by the comet burn up in the atmosphere causing a shooting star."
The Delta Aquariids mark the start of the summer meteor season in the Northern Hemisphere, and this year will begin on July 12 and last until August 23.
It is one of two meteor showers that converge in the summer, alongside the more famous Perseids.
The Delta Aquariids get their name from the constellation in the night sky that they appear to radiate from - the constellation of Aquarius, near the bright star Delta Aquarii.
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On the meteor shower's origin, Royal Museums Greenwich (RMG) says: "It was thought that the meteor shower originated from the breakup of the Marsden and Kracht sungrazing comets – comets that get within about 850,000 miles of the Sun at their closest approach.
"Recently, however, another sungrazing comet called Comet 96P/Machholz has been identified as the likely source of the meteor shower.
"Discovered in 1986 by Donald Machholz, the comet has an estimated diameter of four miles (6.4 kilometres) and takes just over five years to complete one orbit around the Sun.
"As the comet gets heated by the Sun, ice in the comet vaporises and loosens small bits of rock and dust, which form the stream of debris that produces the Delta Aquariids meteor shower."
How to view the Delta Aquariid meteor shower in the UK
Despite the Delta Aquariid meteor shower being more visible in the southern hemisphere, those in the northern hemisphere will still be able to catch a glimpse.
Timelapse of the Southern Delta Aquariid Meteor Shower pic.twitter.com/YRxWWYOjEa — Lucid Dream (@WeDontEnd) April 4, 2023
NSC says to face towards the south-east, with the meteors appearing to originate from near the star Delta Aquarii in the constellation Aquarius.
However, the meteors can appear all over the sky, and as RMG explains, meteors will appear longer the further away from the radiant you look.
The meteor shower can be best viewed just after midnight, with RMG predicting a "steady stream of meteors" expected over several days.
While the shower doesn't have a noticeable peak, it's expected that it will reach its maximum rate on July 30.
Tips on how to best view the Delta Aquariid meteor shower
The Royal Museums Greenwich has provided its tips on viewing the meteor shower.
Its website says to ensure to check the weather forecast ahead of time, and if the forecast isn't favourable, find a different location to observe from or view the meteor shower on another day.
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It adds that in 2025, the Delta Aquariid meteor shower's maximum occurs six days after New Moon, so observing conditions are "reasonably favourable".
Top tips on viewing the shower include:
Make sure that you are in a dark sky area and have an unobstructed view towards the south
Lie down on a blanket or sit in a lawn chair to ensure that you have a wide view of the sky
Your naked eye is the best instrument to use to see meteors – don't use binoculars or a telescope as these have narrow fields of view
Allow your eyes to adapt to the dark and don't look at any lights, or at your phone, to maintain your dark adaptation
The Go Stargazing website has some of the publicly accessible dark sky sites in the UK.
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It reminds those who are going stargazing to take appropriate clothing and refreshments.
It also says to bring a red torch due to it not affecting dark-adapted eyes, but adds that the "simplest of stargazing sessions needs no equipment at all".
Phone apps are also a good source of knowledge, and can teach and provide a real-time view of the night sky.