The best meteor showers of 2024 are yet to come. Here are the key nights to watch for.

By Gretchen Rundorff published yesterday
Here's everything you need to know to see the best meteor showers of 2024.


Watching a meteor shower is one of the most awe-inspiring ways to engage with the night sky. Meteor showers, or “shooting stars,” happen when Earth's orbital path intercepts debris left by a comet or asteroid.

If you missed the meteor showers earlier this year, don't worry — there are plenty of opportunities to see several other major ones before year’s end. In fact, the best meteor showers are yet to come.

All meteor showers are best viewed with the naked eye; because individual meteoroids move so fast, it’s not practical to try and spot them with stargazing binoculars or a backyard telescope. (Still, those tools are handy for enjoying other skywatching sights this year, including planets, comets and a spree of upcoming supermoons). The darker the sky where you are, the more meteors you are likely to see — so consider travelling if you want the best view. Here's everything you need to know to catch the most spectacular meteor showers of the year.

Southern Delta Aquariids

Although the Delta Aquariid meteor shower lasts from July 18 to Aug. 21, the best time to watch will be the night of July 29-30. The moon will be a waning crescent (23% full) and will rise around 1 a.m. EDT on the 30th, so the moonlight won't interfere too much with the meteor shower. Expect to see 15 to 20 meteors per hour.

More:
https://www.livescience.com/space/astronomy/the-best-meteor-showers-of-2024-are-yet-to-come-here-are-the-key-nights-to-watch-for