Look up! Meteor shower to peak in coming days

It has been awhile since that last noteworthy meteor shower, but that is set to change this weekend. The Delta Aquarids meteor shower is set to peak Sunday thru Tuesday. While not a top annual shower, it does have the potential to produce a fair amount of meteors.

The shower favors the Southern Hemisphere, but can still be seen from the United States. 

In fact, upwards of 10-20 shooting stars could be seen by the naked eye every hour Sunday night and Monday night right here in the Great Lakes.

Of course, there are potential limiting factors that go into determining whether or not we'll get a good view of a meteor shower. 

Will the moon ruin our chances?

No! The moon will enter its new moon phase (completely dark) on July 31st. Very little moonlight will be out, meaning optimal darkness.

How about Mother Nature?

Unfortunately, the same cannot be said here. A system will be moving through the Great Lakes during the Sunday-Tuesday period. It will bring a chance of rain and of course an increase in cloud cover. 

It won't be entirely cloudy at all times, and there is certainly a chance of enough clear skies either Sunday evening or Monday night to view the meteor shower.

It's difficult to tell when exactly the skies could be clear enough, so you'll have to head outside and check for breaks.

Where should I go to view them?

To increase your chance of catching the Delta Aquarids, be sure to head to a dark place away from city lights. Try to get elevated enough so you can look toward the south without trees obstructing your view. 

Be sure to give your eyes 30 minutes to adjust to total darkness and look up!