This Thursday, a meteor shower will reach its peak in the Philadelphia area, shooting space rocks across the night sky.

The Delta Aquariid meteor shower lasts from July 12 to August 23 each year, but the nominal peak will drop on July 29. However, within a few days after the peak, stargazers will be able to see a considerable number of meteors, According to EarthSky.

During peak periods, meteor showers produce 10 to 20 meteors per hour, flying at 25 miles per second.

Depending on the weather, viewers should be able to see meteors from midnight to dawn, although the best time to spot them is between midnight and dawn. Current forecast It shows that there will be strong thunderstorms and clouds on Thursday night, which may affect the visibility of the meteor shower.

Astronomers say that this year’s showers may also be submerged by the waning gibbous light. Patch reportIt is easier to see meteors from the southern hemisphere, so the Philadelphia area can already see a faint sight without a bright moon.

In August, the Perseid meteor shower, usually considered the best meteor shower of the year, will become visible.NASA meteor expert Bill Cook told Spacenet In the 2021 performance, sky observers can see up to 100 meteors per hour.

Experts say that the best time to watch the shower is between 2 am and 3 am, because the sky is the darkest at that time.

The best viewing conditions should be around August 11-12. The waning moon should end in the first week of August, and the Perseid meteor shower that lasts until August 24 will have already begun.

Tips on how to watch:

• Keep away from city lights as much as possible

• Arrive early.Your eyes need 30-45 minutes to adjust to the darkness

• Bring a recliner or blanket and lie on your back so you can see more of the sky at the same time

• Throw away your phone. Cook said that a bright screen prevents your eyes from adapting to the night sky.

This is the shower situation last year: