Two Meteor Showers Peak July 30-31 as 98% Full Moon Washes Out Fainter Streaks

Q: Will a nearly full moon spoil July’s rare double meteor-shower peak, or can bright Alpha Capricornid fireballs still steal the show?

A nearly full moon will spoil the faintest part of July’s double meteor-shower peak, but it is unlikely to erase the event entirely. The moon will be about 97% to 98% illuminated on the night of July 30 into July 31, and that glare will wash out many of the Southern Delta Aquariids, which are typically the more numerous but also the fainter shower. The better chance for a worthwhile sight comes from the Alpha Capricornids. They usually produce only about five meteors per hour, but they are known for slow, bright fireballs that can punch through moonlit skies. Experts quoted in coverage of the event note that patient observers may still catch those signature fireballs even if the overall meteor count is disappointing. Viewing will be best after midnight through dawn, when the Southern Delta Aquariids’ radiant in Aquarius climbs highest in the southern sky. Observers in the southern United States, Mexico, the Caribbean and the Southern Hemisphere should have better odds than people farther north. Meteor showers are best seen with the naked eye, not telescopes. To improve the odds, watchers should get away from city lights, allow 20 to 30 minutes for dark adaptation, avoid phone screens, and keep the moon behind them or blocked by a tree, hill or building. Anyone hoping for a stronger display should look ahead to the Perseids on Aug. 12-13, when a new moon is expected to provide far darker skies.

1 articles · Updated · Livescience.com · Jul 26

July 30-31 brings overlapping peaks for the Southern Delta Aquariids and Alpha Capricornids, but a 98% full Buck Moon is expected to sharply reduce visibility of the fainter meteors.
The Southern Delta Aquariids can produce about 25 meteors an hour under dark skies, yet many are faint; the Alpha Capricornids add roughly five an hour but are more likely to show bright fireballs.
Midnight to dawn offers the best viewing window, especially in the southern U.S., Mexico and the Caribbean, where Aquarius rises higher; keeping the moon behind a building, tree or hill can help.
Aug. 12-13 should offer a much stronger follow-up, with the Perseids peaking near a new moon at about 100 meteors an hour under moonless skies.
That same Aug. 12 new moon will also bring a total solar eclipse across parts of Greenland, Iceland and Spain, making the period unusually busy for skywatchers.