The Delta Aquarids Meteor Shower will peaking sometime around July 27 or July 28 2013 this year — the exact peak will be on the night of July 27/early morning of July 28, but the peak for the Delta Aquarids is a very gradual one, so anytime a few days before or after should be good. The Southern Hemisphere gets the best show for this meteor shower, but those in the Northern Hemisphere — especially those in the tropical latitudes — can still expect a good show.
The Delta Aquarids meteor shower is fairly good one — you can typically expect to see 10-20 meteors an hour around the peak, when seen from a dark location. The meteors will appear to be radiating out of the constellation of Aquarius the Water Bearer — in particular, out of the star Delta.
Best viewing will be sometime after midnight, preferably in the early morning hours. The Moon will be in a relatively bright phase around the time of the peak this year though, so the Moon’s light may drown out some of the fainter meteors.
Something else to keep in mind — given that the Perseids have already begun, you’ll be able to spot meteors from both of the showers during this time. In fact, the best time for both meteor showers may be in earlier August — during the New Moon, will the sky will be at its darkest.
Some basic tips for those who are going to watch the meteor shower: Get comfortable — a nice reclining chair, coffee, warm clothes and/or blankets, etc, all go a long way towards making the experience more enjoyable. The further away from city lights that you can get, the better. And perhaps most importantly — you’ll need to give your eyes some time to adjust to the dark in order to see the meteors easily and in high numbers, so no bright mobile devices, or at the very least keep the screens dimmed.
