Double meteor shower peaks Thursday night as full moon hampers visibility

The Alpha Capricornids and Southern Delta Aquariids are expected to reach their peak Thursday night into Friday, according to the American Meteor Society. Both showers run from early to mid-July through mid-August, but the timing coincides with a full moon that will be at its brightest on Wednesday.

"The full moon is up there all night, so the meteors are just going to be very difficult to see," said Bill Cooke, lead of NASA’s Meteoroid Environment Office.

Bob Lunsford, report coordinator for the American Meteor Society, noted that the bright moonlight will hinder observation of fainter meteors and that a full-moon peak occurs only about once every three years. He recommended viewing from a high elevation, facing north with the moon behind the observer to preserve night vision.

Observers in the Southern Hemisphere may have an advantage because the radiant points of both showers appear higher in the sky. The Southern Delta Aquariid, radiating from Aquarius, typically produces two to three meteors per hour, while the Alpha Capricornid, radiating from Capricornus, yields about three per hour and includes brighter fireballs.

The society added that tracking meteor showers helps scientists identify space particles and assess risks for human spaceflight. A later, more prominent display is expected from the Perseids, which will peak in mid-August.