Unmissable Meteor Shower Dazzles Maricopa Skies Tonight

Residents of Maricopa should prepare their telescopes and binoculars for a celestial treat tonight. The Southern Delta Aquariids meteor shower is expected to light up the southern sky, offering a spectacular display of meteors.

This meteor shower, named for its proximity to the Aquarius constellation, can typically be observed from mid-July to late August. The meteors are believed to originate from comet 96P/Machholz, discovered in 1986 by astronomer Donald Machholz.

While this event might not be the most dazzling meteor shower, spectators can anticipate seeing approximately 15 meteors per hour. This translates to roughly one meteor every four minutes, as noted by EarthSky.org. With the waning moon rising around 1 a.m., optimal viewing times are between 10 p.m. and 12 a.m.

Additionally, stargazers can look forward to the Perseids meteor shower next month. Peaking on August 11 and 12, this shower will be visible in the northeastern sky, near the Cassiopeia and Perseus constellations, with an impressive average of 100 meteors per hour.