Bashkiria residents can observe Delta Aquarids meteor shower

The Delta Aquarids, like other meteor showers, received their name from the constellation in which the radiant of the shower is located - the constellation Aquarius (in Latin, Aquarius).

The radiant is not high for residents of Bashkiria - it reaches its maximum height of 19° at three o'clock in the morning. This means that it will not be possible to enjoy the picture of the meteor shower as a whole.

"Like all meteor showers, the Southern Delta Aquarids should be observed outside the city - away from the city's sky light pollution. This year, the Moon will not interfere - the young moon will set on July 29 at about 23:00," the Ufa Planetarium reported.

It is assumed that the progenitor of the stream is a short-period comet discovered in 1986 by Donald MacHoltz, which orbits the Sun every five years. During each passage near the Sun, the comet lost part of its substance, which gradually spread along its orbit.

Every year, the Earth crosses the comet's orbit and for a month and a half from July 12 to August 23 passes through a swarm of cometary particles left by the comet. These particles crash into the Earth's atmosphere at a speed of 40 km per second and burn up, forming shooting stars.

Author: Elina Akhmetova