ORLANDO, Fla. – A small meteor shower is set to be visible in the skies over Florida this week, according to the American Meteor Society.
The Alpha Capricornids shower is active between July 7 and Aug. 15, though it peaks at the tail-end of July. This year, that falls on July 30 and 31.
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Unlike the Delta Aquariids shower, which coincided with the Alpha Capricornids but could only be seen in the southern hemisphere in the early hours of Tuesday, this shower will be equally visible on either side of the equator — including in Florida.
The shower isn’t expected to be overly strong, featuring only around five meteors per hour. But that won’t necessarily stop you from spotting the shower when it happens.
“What is notable about this shower is the number of bright fireballs produced during its activity period,” the AMS announced.
WHEN CAN I SEE THE METEOR SHOWER?
It’s easier to spot a meteor shower when it’s dark outside without much light.
As such, the meteor shower will be most visible late Tuesday night and in the hours leading up to dawn on Wednesday morning.
In addition, the Earth’s moon is only going to be around 20% full when the shower becomes visible, meaning there will be even less light to get in the way of people watching the event.
It’s also a great opportunity to share your photos with News 6 and other viewers on our PinIt! page. News 6 will feature the photos in this story when the shower happens.
WHERE’S A GOOD PLACE TO WATCH IT HAPPEN?
The good news is that you shouldn’t need any special equipment to watch the shower, as it’ll be visible to the naked eye.
The bad news is that because it’s a less-powerful shower, it can be tough to spot it from your home, depending on where you live. A few “fireballs” might light up the sky, but you’ll have to be patient to spot them.
Because darker spots make for better viewing areas, going to an open space away from the city (where light pollution is more of a problem) is likely your best bet.
Parks, national forests and similar locations are among the prime candidates, though you can still watch from your own front yard provided it’s dark enough.
I MISSED IT! WHEN’S MY NEXT CHANCE TO SPOT ONE?
The Perseids meteor shower is active from July 14-Sept. 1, with its peak from late on Aug. 11 into early Aug. 12.
The moon will be around 44% full that night, which could make it a bit tougher to see the shower. However, it is expected to be stronger than the Alpha Capricornids, which will hopefully make it easier to spot.
“This is the appetizer to the much-better Perseids that peak next month! On any given night, you can see about four meteors per hour, so this will be an added bonus. The thing is: you really need to get away from any kind of lights because you will no doubt miss out on the fainter meteors. If you’re waiting for the brighter ones, be patient!”
News 6 Meteorologist Jonathan Kegges
After that is the Orionids shower, which peaks in late October, and then the Southern Taurids, which are set to be visible in early November.
For a full list of meteor showers this year, visit the AMS’ website here.
For more information on how to use PinIt!, click here.
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