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These meteors will streak across night skies this July. When to see them in Michigan
The buck moon has come and gone but with two meteor showers set to peak in late July, you'll have another chance to watch Michigan skies light up. Look up in the night sky later this month to catch a glimpse of the alpha Capricornids and Southern Delta Aquariids passing over Michigan. Here's what to know. When do July 2025's meteor showers peak? The alpha Capricornids and Southern Delta Aquariids are set to peak between July 29-30, per the American Meteor Society. What is a meteor shower? A meteor shower occurs when the Earth passes through a trail of debris left behind by a comet or less commonly an asteroid, according to NASA. The celestial events happen annually or at other intervals, NASA says. What are the alpha Capricornids? The alpha Capricornids is an annual meteor shower with low activity, typically producing about five slow-moving meteors per hour, per the American Meteor Society. The meteor shower began July 12 and will be active through Aug. 12, the society says. What are the Southern Delta Aquariids? The Southern Delta Aquariids is an annual meteor shower with faint meteors, typically producing about seven to eight meteors per hour, according to NASA. This meteor shower started July 18 and will run until Aug. 12, per the American Meteor Society. Where can you view the meteor showers in Michigan? Keep an eye on the weather forecast as the peak nears, as clear skies are essential for viewing chances. Michigan is home to six dark sky state parks, three international dark sky parks and an international dark sky sanctuary. The Alpena area has three Dark Sky Preserves: Rockport State Recreation Area, Thompson's Harbor State Park and Negwegon State Park. In Mackinaw City, Headlands International Dark Sky Park. In Empire, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. In Munising, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. In Paradise, the Great Lakes Museum and Whitefish Point Light Station and Tahquamenon Falls State Park. In Port Austin, Port Crescent State Park. In Clayton, Lake Hudson Recreation Area. In Carp Lake, Wilderness State Park. Keweenaw Dark Sky Park in Keweenaw County and Dr. T.K. Lawless Park in Cass County are international spots. And, finally, the Beaver Island State Wildlife Research Area is an international sanctuary. When is the next meteor shower? The Perseids will peak Aug. 12-13. Contact Jenna Prestininzi: jprestininzi@ This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Meteors Alpha Capriconids, Southern Delta Aquariids will peak in late July Solve the daily Crossword
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4 days ago
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This summer, the sky comes alive with shooting stars. What you need to know about ongoing meteor showers.
Three different meteor showers are happening at the same time this month, giving skywatchers plenty of chances to spend their summer nights looking for shooting stars. The annual alpha Capricornids, the Southern delta Aquariids and the Perseid meteor showers are all currently active, with each celestial show set to last through mid-August. Here's what to know about these meteor showers, and where and how you can spot shooting stars. The alpha Capricornids The alpha Capricornids and the Southern delta Aquariids will peak in activity at the end of this month, overnight from July 29 to 30, while the Perseids — often considered the best and most reliable shooting star display — will ramp up to its peak next month. Skywatchers will likely encounter mostly favorable conditions for catching meteor showers this July, according to the American Meteor Society. The alpha Capricornids meteor shower is not typically a strong display, but it can produce a number of bright fireballs while active. At its height, the meteor shower can produce around five shooting stars per hour under dark skies and clear conditions, according to the American Meteor Society. The shower gets its name because the meteors appear to stream from the constellation of Capricorn. During this year's peak, the moon will be only 27% full, offering people on either side of the equator a chance to catch the celestial show. The alpha Capricornids meteor shower occurs when Earth passes through clouds of dust particles and debris from the comet 169P/NEAT, which completes one orbit around the sun every 4.2 years. As pieces of debris hit the planet's atmosphere and vaporize, they create bright streaks of light that sometimes leave behind bright trails. The Southern delta Aquariids The Southern delta Aquariids, as their name suggests, are best viewed from the Southern Hemisphere. This meteor shower is capable of producing up to 25 meteors per hour under ideal conditions, but the shooting stars are typically fainter. Southern delta Aquariids can be tricky to spot, according to NASA, but the best chances this year will likely be in the early morning hours. The meteor shower is thought to be caused by pieces of the comet 96P/Machholz, which completes one orbit around the sun every 5.2 years. The Perseids Finally, the Perseids meteor shower is underway and is expected to peak overnight from Aug. 12 to 13. The Perseids are usually one of the most highly anticipated skywatching events of the year because the meteor shower occurs during warm summer months in the Northern Hemisphere and it typically delivers a high rate of shooting stars. Under ideal conditions, the Perseids can produce as many as 100 shooting stars per hour. This year, however, the moon will be around 84% full, which will likely wash out meteors and 'severely compromise this shower at the time of maximum activity,' according to the American Meteor Society. 'Such conditions will reduce activity by at least 75% as only the brighter meteors will be visible,' the society said in its forecast. The Perseids shower occurs when Earth passes through a cloud of dust particles and debris left over from a comet known as 109P/Swift-Tuttle. This article was originally published on
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6 days ago
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Summer meteor showers: See Perseids, 2 others in Ohio starting this week
If it feels like it's been a while since you've been able to watch a stunning meteor shower light up the night sky, you're in luck. Following a nearly two-month "shooting stars" drought, three meteor showers are set to become active concurrently in July. The celestial activity will then hit a crescendo in August with the peak of what is widely considered the best meteor shower of the year: the Perseids. Here's everything to know about the summer's upcoming meteor showers, headlined by the spectacular Perseids, and how you can see them in Ohio. Stargazers' delight: When and where to view July's major meteor showers. Perseid meteor shower underway: Where, when to look up With its whizzing meteors and blazing fireballs, the Perseid meteor shower reliably puts on a spectacle every year for stargazers around the world. Spectators who step outside at just the right time could be treated to up to 100 Perseid meteors per hour streaking across the night sky, leaving long wakes of light and color behind them. In 2025, the Perseid meteor shower is expected to become active Thursday, July 17, and remain so until Aug. 23, according to the American Meteor Society. The Perseids are best viewed in the Northern Hemisphere. Once the sun sets and the moon is below the horizon, spectators should only have to contend with local light pollution and clouds that could interfere with the number of meteors they can see. Like all meteor showers, the Perseids are best viewed during the dark hours between midnight and dawn. However, it is possible under the right conditions to view Perseid meteors as early as 10 p.m. ET, according to NASA. But perhaps the best part of the Perseids? Because they peak in summer, spectators don't have to contend with cold weather like they do when other famous meteor showers, such as the Leonids and Geminids, hit their peak activity. When is the next meteor shower? 2 to peak at same time What's more, the Perseids aren't the only meteor shower lighting up the night sky this summer. Both the Southern delta Aquarids and the alpha Capricornids are due to peak at the same time between July 29 and July 30, according to the American Meteor Society. The Capricornids began their activity July 12 and will be followed by the Southern delta Aquarids (also spelled "Aquariids") Friday, July 18. Both meteor showers will remain active until Aug. 12. Unfortunately, neither shower is famed for being very strong. The Southern Delta Aquarids are faint meteors that are difficult enough to spot as it is. But if the moon is visible at all, it will be nearly impossible, according to NASA. These are the best places to view meteor showers in Ohio So where are the best places to go in Ohio to see the meteor showers? The International Dark Sky Places (IDSP) program, an internationally recognized organization that certifies communities, parks and protected areas around the world that preserve dark skies, has two suggestions. The IDSP-designated dark sky places in Ohio are: Geauga Observatory Park: Located in Montville Township in Geauga County, this park was selected as a dark sky park in 2011, the Columbus Dispatch reports. The park is centered around the Nassau Observatory, which moved from Cleveland to Geauga County in 1957 due to light pollution. It fell out of routine use in the 1990s. Fry Family Park: Located in Magnolia, about 10 miles south of Canton, the park also earned the distinction of being an IDSP-certified urban dark sky area, which means stargazers still get a good view of the night sky despite its proximity to a city. Other dark sky destinations around Ohio, according to Ohio Magazine, include: Burr Oak State Park: The nearest village is four miles away and has a population of less than 2,000, so it produces little light pollution. Stonelick State Park: The night skies here are some of the darkest in Ohio, according to the magazine, and it's a common destination for Cincinnati-area stargazers. Wayne National Forest: Per the magazine, the isolated Lamping Homestead Recreation Area is arguably the darkest site in Ohio's only national forest. Perseid meteor shower 2025: Here's when activity peaks This year, the Perseids are expected to peak Aug. 12-13. Though the Geminids in December are considered to be one of the strongest and most consistent meteor showers, the Perseids still result in anywhere from 50 to 100 meteors visible per hour under the right conditions. What's more, the Perseid meteor shower gained its reputation for the plentiful whizzing meteors and blazing fireballs it reliably produces each year pretty much around the globe. These large explosions of light and color can persist even longer than an average meteor streak, NASA says. Could the moon interfere with Perseids? Tips for seeing streaking meteors Unfortunately, the Perseid meteor shower is peaking three days after a full moon in 2025. For that reason, a bright waning gibbous moon could outshine the fainter of the streaking meteors and make them more difficult to spot. But for those determined to catch a few of them, NASA has these viewing tips to increase your odds: Find an area distant from city light pollution or street lights. Bring a sleeping bag, blanket, or lawn chair. Lie flat on your back and look up, taking in as much of the sky as possible. After about 30 minutes in the dark, your eyes will adapt and you will begin to see meteors. The website TimeandDate also provides detailed information about where and when to see the phenomenon. What causes the Perseids? Are meteor showers 'shooting stars?' Originating from the constellation Perseus, the Perseids are made up of leftover particles from comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle. Every year, Earth passes through the comet's debris trail, resulting in the Perseid meteor shower when the broken bits of Swift-Tuttle disintegrate in our atmosphere at high speed, creating fiery and colorful streaks in the sky known colloquially as "shooting stars," according to NASA. Swift-Tuttle, which takes 133 Earth years to orbit the sun just once, was discovered to be the source of the Perseids in 1865 by Italian astronomer Giovanni Schiaparelli. Discovered in 1862, Swift-Tuttle is gargantuan — twice the size of the asteroid theorized to have wiped out the dinosaurs 66 million years ago. When was the last meteor shower? Eta Aquarids ended in May The string of summer meteor showers are the first in nearly two months since the Eta Aquarids came to an end May 28. The Aquarids, which first became active April 19, peaked between May 5 and May 6 as Earth passed through the densest part of the cosmic debris from the famous Halley's Comet. Eric Lagatta is the Space Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at elagatta@ This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Perseid meteor showers are amazing, and they're coming to our area Solve the daily Crossword
