Three meteor showers are active in Michigan’s skies, and August’s full moon is on its way, providing sky gazers plenty of nighttime excitement.
The Southern Delta Aquariids, alpha Capricornids and the Perseids all are lighting up Michigan’s skies this week. And Wednesday, July 30, may be the best night to view all three showers if you are far enough north.
Southern Michigan could see rain and storms overnight Wednesday, and otherwise will be cloudy from Grand Rapids to Saginaw and southeast to Detroit.
Traverse City expects clear skies, and Marquette and Sault Ste. Marie in the UP also will be clear, except for some Canadian wildfire haze.
Here’s what to know about the meteor showers.
What are the Perseids?
The Perseids is a strong, fast meteor shower featuring about 50 to 100 meteors per hour, per NASA. Bright meteors and fireballs, very bright meteors, frequently streak across the night sky, creating a path of light and color overhead.
The meteors appear to come from the area of the constellation Perseus in the sky, NASA says, though the meteors can be seen in any part of the night sky, per the American Meteor Society.
When are the Perseids active?
The Perseids streak across the sky from July 17 until Aug. 23, according to NASA.
When can you best glimpse the Perseids?
One of the best days to view the Perseid meteors is tonight — Wednesday, July 30 — because the alpha Capricornids and Southern delta Aquariids, are happening at the same time, said Robert Lunsford, the American Meteor Society’s newsletter editor and fireball report coordinator, to USA TODAY.
What are the Southern Delta Aquariids?
The Southern Delta Aquariids are an annual meteor shower with faint meteors, typically producing about seven to eight meteors per hour, according to NASA.
When are the Southern Delta Aquariids active?
The meteor shower started July 18, and will continue until Aug. 12, the American Meteor Society said.
What are the alpha Capricornids?
The alpha Capricornids are an annual meteor shower with low activity, typically producing about five slow-moving meteors per hour, the American Meteor Society said.
When are the alpha Capricornids active?
The meteor shower began July 12, and will be active through Aug. 12, the society says.
What is a meteor shower?
A meteor shower occurs when the Earth passes through a trail of debris left behind by a comet or less commonly an asteroid, according to NASA. The celestial events happen annually or at other intervals, NASA says.
Where can you view the meteor showers in Michigan?
Find a dark, open area away from light pollution with clear skies for best viewing chances. Michigan is home to six dark sky state parks, three international dark sky parks and an international dark sky sanctuary.
When is the next meteor shower?
The Orionids begin Oct. 2 and continue through Nov. 12, peaking Oct. 22-23, according to the American Meteor Society.
USA TODAY contributed.
Contact Jenna Prestininzi: jprestininzi@freepress.com.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: 3 meteor showers at one time. When to watch for shooting stars in Michigan
Reporting by Jenna Prestininzi, Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press
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