Get to a dark, open space, recline back or lie down on a blanket, give your eyes time to adjust and then wait for the comet debris to appear. Delta Aquarids has been active since July 12 (and will go through Aug. 23), but the end of July is the best time to see its 10-20 meteors per hour. The National Weather Service is predicting partly cloudy skies over western Washington Tuesday, but they should clear up by night— just in time to catch the Delta Aquarid meteor shower in the night sky above. It can be an awesome display.”, Like us on Facebook to see similar stories, We mailed 64 letters, packages in battleground states to check on mail delays. SEATTLE, WA — It's about time to watch the sky for shooting stars above Washington: the Delta Aquarids are about to peak and the Perseids will be flying for weeks. So — assuming you're in the Northern Hemisphere — if you're watching the Perseids, and you see meteors coming from the northeast or north, they are Perseids. Earthsky.org adds: “This is where the concept of a radiant point comes in handy. The Delta Aquariid meteor shower is created by comet 96P/Machholz. Microsoft may earn an Affiliate Commission if you purchase something through recommended links in this article. The Delta Aquarids — and all meteor showers — are best viewed in dark skies, away from light-polluting crowds of people, so it’s easy to social distance while scanning the skies for shooting stars. Earthsky.org adds: "This is where the concept of a radiant point comes in handy. The meteor shower is named in the honor of this star. It can be an awesome display. Experts say at the peak Tuesday and Wednesday it should offer up about 20 meteors an hour. Already underway and continuing through Aug. 24, the Perseids reliably produce about 60 shooting stars an hour at their early morning peak from Aug. 11-13 this year. Though not as prolific as Perseid meteors — flying now, and peaking in mid-August — up to 10 percent of Delta Aquarids leave persistent trains. The radiant point for the Delta Aquarids nearly aligns with the star Skat (Delta Aquarii), for which the shower is named. And with the new moon coming on July 31/Aug. But the waxing crescent moon that has been showing up in the early evening sky sets just after midnight, offering moon-free viewing through the pre-dawn. The alternate answer is that either way, a falling star is a beautiful thing to behold, but if you really want to distinguish a Delta Aquarid from a Perseid meteor, the short answer is that the former appear to fly from the south and the Perseids from the north-northeast. ", 31 States In White House 'Red Zone'; Standardized Masks Ahead, distinguish a Delta Aquarid from a Perseid meteor, More Than 280,000 King County Voters Have Already Cast Ballots, TSA Screens Over 1 Million Passengers For First Time Since March, Washington Tightens Rules For Colleges Amid Coronavirus Outbreaks, How A Seattle Symphony Cellist Brings Classical Music To Social Media, Fall Surge: Washington Coronavirus Cases Climb At 'Alarming Rate'.