Delta Aquariids meteor shower 2020: How to see shooting stars TONIGHT

Up to 20 shooting stars per hour will be visible in the early hours of July 29 and 30, but how is the best to spot them? The meteors are few and far between in the northern hemisphere, with south of the equator the best place to see the Delta Aquariids.

But they will still put on a show for those of us in the northern hemisphere, peaking around 3.30am tomorrow morning.

To see the shower, simply look south while situated in a dark area with as little light pollution as possible.

The Royal Greenwich Observatory said: “The radiant of the shower lies above the southern horizon and will reach its highest point around 3.30am – start your meteor watch from around 2am to increase your chances of spotting meteors.

“For 2020, the moon is in its waxing gibbous phase and so may impact your viewing session.

“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.

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There is some mystery surrounding the Delta Aquariids meteor shower, with astronomers debating its origin.

Some experts believe that we are able to see it when the Earth passes through a stream of debris left in the trail of the comet 96P/Machholz – which was only discovered in 1986, yet the meteor shower has been seen since the 1870s.

The Delta Aquariids gets its name as they seem to reside in the Aquarius constellation, near to the Delta Aquarii.

source: express.co.uk