Three meteors to light up the Australian Sky this week; Know when and where to watch

Three meteors - Piscis Austrinids, Southern Delta Aquariids and Alpha Capricornids to grace Australian sky this weekend.

Meteor shower to grace Australian sky this week. (NASA)

Stargazers are in for a treat this weekend as three meteors are set to light up the Australian skies. Among the three meteors, Piscis Austrinids, Southern Delta Aquariids and Alpha Capricornids, the first one has been illuminating the east coast from Thursday and will be active till August 10, while the Southern Delta Aquariids and the Alpha Capricornids will be on peak on Saturday.

As shared by Professor Orsola De Marco from Macquarie University to The Guardian, Piscis Austrinids will rise from 8pm in the south-east of the sky and head to east by 11pm for the east coast. She was quoted as saying, “Look towards the east, about 45 degrees up – about halfway between the horizon and above your head.” Similarly, the Southern Delta Aquariids and the Alpha Capricornids will rise at 11pm on Saturday around the east-northeast and north-northeast of the sky, respectively. Know when and where to look for the spectacular view of meteor showers.

When and where to see meteor showers?

The three Meteor showers are named after the location of their radiant, for example, Alpha Capricornids radiate from a point near the star Alpha Capricorni. However, this time all three meteors will rise in the early-to-mid evening from Australia. They will reach a reasonable altitude by about 10pm and hence, stargazers will be able to see meteors any time from the mid-evening onward. The best view will be captured from about 10pm till dawn.

Further, the best place to look at the meteor shower is around 45 degrees above the horizon, and about 45 degrees to the left or the right of the radiant.

As shared by the ABC News, in the early evening, the meteor will appear best in the east or northeast, while by midnight, it would be best in the north and in the hours before dawn, it would be best in the west or northwest.