Calling all stargazers! Don't miss the chance to see the Delta Aquarids Meteor Shower this year. The meteor shower has been active since July 12, but your best chance to catch a glimpse of it will be at its peak on July 28 and July 29.
The Delta Aquarids lie within the boundary of the Aquarius constellation, near one of the constellation's brightest stars, the Delta Aquarii. The origin of the Delta Aquarids Meteor Shower has been disputed and is still undefined. Originally, 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.
While those down in the southern hemisphere will get an even better view of the spectacle, here in the northern hemisphere you can still see them clearly at their peak - which this year falls on July 28 and July 29. During its peak, you should be able to see between 10 and 20 streaks per hour!
For the best chances at seeing the Delta Aquarids Meteor Shower in all its glory, you'll have to head out of the city to an area where there is little to no artificial light. You'll also have to be ready to stay up nice and late, as the best time to see the meteor shower is around 3.30 am. The sad news is that, this year, the peak of the shower is only a few days after July's full moon (July 24), so there will be a fair amount of natural light which will impact your view.
As per usual, you will also have to hope and pray that the Dutch weather cooperates. Weather forecasts predict cloudy skies and rain for much of next week, so have your rain gear at the ready if you're planning a night of stargazing. Hopefully the cloud cover will break enough for you to get a glimpse of the shower.