Stargazers across the Netherlands are in for a treat this week, as the Delta Aquariids Meteor Shower makes an appearance in Dutch skies, peaking in the very early hours of Friday morning.
The Delta Aquariids lie within the boundary of the Aquarius constellation, near one of the constellation's brightest stars, the Delta Aquarii. The origin of the Delta Aquariids Meteor Shower has been disputed and is still undefined. Initially, the parent comet was thought to have been the Marsden and Kracht sungrazing comets. But more recent research shows that the parent comet is more likely to be the Comet / 96P Machholtz, which is closely related to the aforementioned sungrazers.
The meteor shower has been active since July 12, and stargazers will be in for an extra special treat as, this year, the Delta Aquariids coincide with the peak of the Alpha Capricornids on July 30. Be sure to head out of the city to an area with little to no artificial light.
Your best chance of catching a glimpse of this impressive light show is at around 3am on Friday, July 29, when you’ll be able to see as many as 18 meteors an hour. Of course, anyone having to get up for work or school on Friday morning might not feel too keen about staying up until the early hours, but don’t worry! You’ll still be able to see this glorious sight over the weekend.
Now, you just have to hope that the Dutch weather plays ball! Currently, weather forecasts say that Thursday evening and Friday afternoon should be fairly warm and sunny, so there shouldn't be too much cloud cover. These perfect conditions are set to continue into the weekend, meaning anyone hoping to catch a glimpse of the Delta Aquariids should have plenty opportunities to do so!