While we often buzz about what’s happening in London, right now, it feels like we’re always talking about what’s happening above London—with several celestial spectacles occurring in a short space of time at the moment. And this week, you will be able to see not one but two meteor showers on the same night.
Look to the night sky on Thursday, July 30, and you may see the Southern Delta Aquariids and the Alpha Capricornids on the same night, and just a day after the full Buck Moon. Both meteor displays are happening right now, but will be most visible to us between Thursday night and Friday morning.
When can I see meteor showers?
The Southern Delta Aquariids are active from July 12 to August 23, while the Alpha Capricornids are active from July 3 to August 15, but both will peak in the early hours (around 2 am) on Friday, July 31.
What am I looking for?
The Delta Aquariids will be made up of around 25 meteors per hour, while look for five ‘yellow slow fireballs’ across the night sky from the Alpha Capricornids. Be warned, they may appear as bright as usual, thanks to the coinciding almost full moon (the full Buck Moon is on Wednesday, July 29, but will appear 98% the following night).
When is the next meteor shower?
If you miss these guys, there won’t be long to wait until the next meteor shower. The Perseids are active from July 17 to August 24, but peak on Wednesday, August 12, 2026, with up to an astonishing 150 meteors per hour—keep your eyes peeled from midnight to 5:30 am.
Any other celestial events to look out for?
Nothing much. Just the best solar eclipse the UK has seen since 1999. Oh, and on the same night the Perseids peak for a double whammy. Across the UK, you will see around 90% of the Sun covered by the Moon at around 7:12 pm.
