This week, astronomy fans and casual stargazers across Australia have the chance to see an amazing celestial event. Two major meteor showers, the Southern Delta Aquariids and the Alpha Capricornids, are passing through Earth’s atmosphere. Luckily, you won’t need any special gear like telescopes or binoculars; your eyes will be enough for the best experience.
Australia is well-placed to provide excellent spots for both meteor showers. Astrophysicist Professor Jonti Horner of the University of Southern Queensland noted that the best viewing conditions typically occur away from city lights. He suggested that stargazers find excellent observation areas during the day—ideally places without buildings, streetlights, or car headlights—and then return there after dark. He also recommended checking local weather reports each evening to find the best night to go out. He mentioned that rain was expected in Sydney on Wednesday, with cloud cover likely in Melbourne and Brisbane this week.
The best time to see the showers is between 11 PM and dawn on Tuesday and Wednesday, although they are also visible on Monday. Professor Horner explained that meteors appear as their radiant, the point in the sky where they seem to come from, rises. As this point grows higher, the display becomes more impressive. The radiant for the Southern Delta Aquariids, the more intense shower, reaches its peak around 2:00 AM local time. Therefore, anytime from 11 PM until dawn is the best time to view this shower. On the other hand, the radiant for the Alpha Capricornids peaks a couple of hours earlier, just before midnight, but Professor Horner warned that this shower may not be as bright. The Delta Aquariids fall through the atmosphere at about 40 kilometers per second, while the Alpha Capricornids move at a slower rate of around 22 kilometers per second.
Even though it might be tempting to use binoculars or a telescope, Professor Horner strongly recommended watching the meteor showers with just your eyes. This way, you get the widest view possible, allowing you to see more of the sky and increase your chances of spotting the tiny bits of dust and debris as they hit Earth’s atmosphere. Using binoculars or a telescope would limit your view and make it harder to notice the brief meteors. He also suggested avoiding too much phone screen time before viewing. Your eyes take about 45 minutes to adjust to the dark, mostly in the first five. This adaptation is key for spotting faint meteor trails. For comfort during long viewing sessions, Professor Horner advised bringing a chair or a blanket with pillows to relax on, which can help prevent neck strain. Additionally, he suggested downloading a sky mapping app to help you orient yourself and find the radiant points.
Professor Horner explained how meteor showers work. He compared them to a stream of cosmic debris crossing Earth’s orbit, with all particles moving in the same direction. As this stream moves closer to Earth, it hits the atmosphere from a specific angle. The result is that while meteors can show up anywhere in the night sky, their paths will trace back to one spot—the direction they originated from. This point is called the radiant of the meteor shower, and each shower is named after the constellation where its radiant is located.
Looking ahead, Professor Horner pointed out the Geminid meteor shower as the top annual event for stargazers. This shower is active during the first two weeks of December, peaking on the nights of the 14th and 15th. He said that depending on your location, you could start observing the Geminids around 9:30 PM in the Brisbane area, with viewing times getting slightly later further south and earlier further north. Professor Horner excitedly called the Geminids “by far the best shower of the year,” noting that this year a new moon would minimize lunar interference, ensuring a clear viewing experience.
