Meteor Shower Phenomenon Expected to Happen at the End of July

VIVA – At the end of July, Earth will have one amazing phenomenon namely, a meteor shower. This phenomenon occurs every year with the various Alpha-Capricornids and Delta Aquariids. Meteor shower will happen in the sky south of Indonesia.

This meteor shower looks like a shooting star or a moving star. Usually, this phenomenon occurs when several meteors glide alternately at certain points in the sky.

In fact, meteors are inter-planetary rock or dust that enter the atmosphere and then burn up due to atmospheric friction.

The Main Researcher of Astronomy and Astrophysics of the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Thomas Djamaluddin explained about this meteor shower phenomenon.

"The Alpha-Capricornids meteor shower can be observed on July 30 to 31, 2022 starting at 8 pm on the eastern horizon. However, the best time is after midnight in the southern sky," Thomas Djamaluddin said as quoted from Antara on Sunday, 17 July 2022.

Thomas said about five meteors every hour is expected to appear across the southern sky. The Alpha-Capricornids meteor shower originates from the comet cluster 169P/NEAT that passed by Earth.

"Small comet dust enters the Earth's atmosphere and burns up like a shooting star. Although the number of meteors is small, sometimes this meteor shower shows bright meteors from the remains of a larger comet," Thomas Djamaluddin conveyed.

Meanwhile, the Delta Aquarids meteor shower can be observed on July 29 to 30, 2022 starting at 11 pm on the eastern horizon. While the peak will occur at 2 am in the southern sky.

"This meteor shower displays dozens of meteors per hour. Comet 96P/Machholz dust is suspected to be the source of this meteor shower," Thomas added.

According to Thomas, this event is not dangerous, even the combination of two meteor showers in the southern sky is the main attraction for sky observers in Indonesia.

It’s hoped that the weather conditions will be sunny so that meteor shower observations will be more interesting.

As known, the remaining dust of the comet will run out and burn at an altitude above 80 km.

Thomas Djamaluddin also said, for watching the meteor shower properly, people shall choose an observation location for minimally disturbed by light and the field of view to the southern sky is not disturbed by trees or buildings.