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Dueling meteor showers peaking Monday will be visible in Indiana

Major meteor shower expected tonight
Posted at 1:37 PM, Jul 29, 2019
and last updated 2019-07-29 15:32:15-04

INDIANAPOLIS — July will end with quite a show as two meteor showers peak starting Monday evening and they should be visible across much of Indiana, as long as the skies cooperate.

The Delta Aquariids and the Alpha Capricornids will produce 20 to 25 visible meteors per hours, as long as the clouds don't interfere, according to Accuweather.

If you live in an area without a lot of light pollution, you should have optimal viewing conditions as the skies should stay mainly clear through the overnight hours.

If you miss the show Monday night, don't fret, the meteors should remain visible through the first few days of August.

Delta Aquariids

The Delta Aquariid meteor shower puts on one long summer show in July and August, but it will peak at the end of July through late-August.

The meter shower began July 12 and is active until August 23.

Expect to see about 20 meteors per hour during the peak, traveling at 25 miles per second.

The Delta Aquariid meteors are more faint than others, and they're more apparent in the Southern Hemisphere, according to NASA . But you can still see them in the Northern Hemisphere's southern latitudes. Some of the Delta Aquariid meteors leave glowing gas trails that linger for a few seconds after they burn up in Earth's upper atmosphere.

If you miss your chance now, the Delta Aquariids will also be visible as they overlap with another meteor shower in August, the Perseids.

Alpha Capricornids

The Alpha Capricornids started around mid-July and will continue through the first part of August. According to the American meteor society, the Alpha Capricornids are not very strong and rarely produce more than five meteors per hour, although it is seen equally well on either side of the equator. Paired with the Delta Aquariid this week, those few meteors should help light up parts of the sky.

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