Four Meteor Showers Peak Over South Africa in July as 2 Reach Maximum on July 31

Q: With a bright moon set to spoil the peak nights, when should you actually go outside to see July's meteor showers?

Go out on the dark, moon-free nights around the new moon, especially July 11 to 17, and if you want the late-month showers, watch in the pre-dawn hours in the week before their July 28 to 31 peaks rather than on the peak nights themselves. That is because the full moon on July 29 will badly wash out the Piscis Australids, Southern delta-Aquariids and alpha-Capricornids just as they peak. The South African Astronomical Observatory says July is excellent for observing overall, but moonlight will make many of the fainter meteors hard to see at the end of the month. The best general window is the stretch centered on the July 14 new moon, when skies are darkest and the Milky Way and southern constellations are also at their best. Even if shower rates are lower then, darker skies usually make for better real-world viewing than a bright peak night. For the Southern delta-Aquariids and alpha-Capricornids, the most practical strategy is to go out after midnight and before dawn during the week leading up to July 30 and 31, when the radiant is higher and there is less moon interference than on the full-moon nights. The eta-Eridanids on August 8 should be less affected, because the moon will be a waning crescent. Wherever you watch from in South Africa, choose a dark site away from city lights, give your eyes about 20 minutes to adjust, and scan broadly rather than staring only at the radiant.

3 articles · Updated · IOL · Jul 10

Four meteor showers are active over South Africa this month, with the Piscis Australids peaking on July 28 and both the Southern delta-Aquariids and alpha-Capricornids peaking on July 31.
The South African Astronomical Observatory said viewing prospects are good, especially from dark sites away from city lights after about 20 minutes of eye adjustment.
The Southern delta-Aquariids run from July 12 to August 23, while the eta-Eridanids peak later on August 8; meteors can appear across much of the sky despite radiating from specific constellations.
July’s crisp, dry winter nights also sharpen views of the Milky Way, the Southern Cross, Scorpius and Canopus, with Sagittarius pointing observers toward the galaxy’s center.

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With a bright moon set to spoil the peak nights, when should you actually go outside to see July's meteor showers?

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Four Meteor Showers Peak Over South Africa in July as 2 Reach Maximum on July 31

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