South Australia has been seeing incredible light shows in its skies lately, from the Aurora Australis to spectacular shooting stars. This July, there will be plenty more action, with meteor showers already active in the evenings. What’s more, over four nights toward the end of the month, South Australia will see three separate meteor showers in our skies simultaneously as they overlap. What better way to say goodbye to July and hello to August than with a celestial light show!
The first meteor shower, Piscis Austrinids, will be active from the 15th of July to the 10th of August. If you’re viewing from Adelaide, the shower should begin to be visible from 7pm each night, when the constellation Piscis Austrinus rises above the horizon to the east. The meteor shower will remain visible until about 7am, and be at its most captivating at 3am when it reaches its highest point in the sky.
The second meteor shower, Southern Delta Aquariids, will be active from the 18th of July to the 21st of August. This meteor shower will rises above the horizon in the mid-evening, hitting its highest, most visible point at 2am and will be low in the sky by dawn. July 30 will be the best night to catch these shooting stars, so long as the sky isn’t cloudy.
The last meteor shower, Alpha Capricornids, will also have its best viewing day on July 30, and has been visible in our skies since the 3rd of July and will fade from visibility on the 15th of August. The meteor shower will be visible on these nights from 9pm to dawn and be at its highest point around 2am.
So from the 28th to the 31st of July you may be able to see all three meteor showers in our skies at once! However in order to get the best views you’ll have to be out in the winter cold in the early hours of the morning, so be sure to rug up and bring some blankets to shield yourself from chilly dawns. No specialised equipment or extensive expertise is necessary to enjoy a meteor shower, but a clear sky and patience are key!
To get the most out of your star gazing, it’s best to be away from light pollution, so it may be difficult to catch glimpses of these streaks of light while enjoying Illuminate Adelaide in the heart of the CBD this month. But even regional South Australians will have to be mindful to avoid artificial light. Even the light from your phone can make it hard for your eyes to adjust to the darkness of the night sky and catch those flashing meteors.
So set your alarm nice and early, drag a couple of friends out with you, and step into the backyard, or better yet, the Adelaide outback or hills to observe this unmissable triple light show.
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