Summertime Meteor Showers Fire Up North Carolina Skies

NORTH CAROLINA — Summer meteor showers are firing up, and now is a perfect time to scope out a dark sky in North Carolina. First up is the Delta Aquarid meteor shower. Consider it a dress rehearsal for the highly anticipated and sky-party-worthy Perseid meteor shower. The two showers overlap in early August, and both are already active.

The Delta Aquarids, which officially started July 12 and run through Aug. 23, favor the Southern Hemisphere, but the show is still visible from mid-northern latitudes. They'll peak here around July 28, producing around 10 to 20 meteors an hour. An approaching new moon on July 31-Aug. 1, will make for optimum viewing conditions.

The best viewing times are after midnight and before dawn, regardless of your time zones.

Some of the best places to watch meteor showers around the Charlotte area are a bit of a hike, to Town Creek Indian Mound in Mount Gilead, Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute in Rosman and Roper Mountain Science Center in Greenville, South Carolina, according to Earthsky.

The Perseids, which began July 17 and last through Aug. 24, will likely produce about 10-15 visible meteors per hour because the moon will be very close to full during the peak dates, from around Aug. 11-13.

SEE ALSO: 2019 Guide To Meteor Showers, Lunar Eclipse, Supermoons In NC

Earthsky advises those who are serious about seeing meteors not to be daunted. Instead, start watching for the Perseids in the pre-dawn hours from Friday, Aug. 9, through Sunday, Aug. 11. On those dates, there will be more moon-free viewing time than during the peak dates.

In Charlotte, the moon sets at 1:36 a.m., 2:18 a.m., 3:04 a.m., 3:54 a.m. and 4:47 a.m., respectively, on Aug. 9, Aug. 10, Aug. 11, Aug. 12 and Aug. 13.

In years without moonlight, the Perseids are visible at much higher rates, and in outburst years, such as 2016, they can fly at a rate of 150-200 meteors an hour.

"Unfortunately, the moon will be very close to full on the night of the peak, which will wash out the fainter Perseids," NASA meteor expert Bill Cooke told Space.com.

Still, don't skip this summertime favorite.

"The Perseids are rich in fireballs, so you'll still see Perseids," Cooke said. "You just won't see the show you've seen on nights when the moon has not been around."

And though the meteor shower is most visible after midnight, skywatchers may see a sprinkling of meteors from mid-to-late evening. A rare earthgrazer — a long, slow, colorful meteor along the horizon — is also possible during the evening. Earthsky said Perseid earthgrazers occur before midnight because the radiant point of the shower is close to the horizon.

So, with the Delta Aquarids and Perseids flying at the same time, how will skywatchers know the difference? They'll need to find the radiant point, especially for the Delta Aquarids.

The Perseids radiate from the constellation Perseus, named after the hero Perseus in Greek mythology, near the famous Double Cluster. The constellation is found in the northern sky and is one of the largest. Finding the radiant point for the Perseids isn't necessary because they fly in all parts of the sky.

The Delta Aquarids,when traced backward, appear to radiate from a point in front of the constellation Aquarius the Water Bearer, which arcs across the southern sky in North America.

The radiant point for the Delta Aquarids nearly aligns with the star Skat (Delta Aquarii), for which the shower is named.

For both showers, find a dark, open sky. Be patient. It'll take your eyes about 20 minutes to adjust to the darkness, and set aside at least an hour to view them. They can come in spurts, and there can be a lull between shooting stars. Bring along a blanket or reclining lawn chair and settle in to enjoy the show.

— By Patch National Editor Beth Dalbey