MANILA, Philippines - Skygazers in the country can look forward to the annual Southern Delta Aquarids meteor shower later this month, the state weather bureau said yesterday.
In its monthly astronomical diary, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said the meteor showers will be visible in the country from July 28 to 31.
It said the estimated peak will be before midnight and onward on July 30.
“The showers are part of a complex of radiants in Aquarius, Capricornus and Piscis Austrinus, all of which combine with sporadic and early Perseid activity to provide a nice display of meteors,” the agency said.
“The stream normally produces about five to 10 meteors per hour, with overall activity of about 15 meteors per hour under good sky conditions,” it said.
Meteors are caused by streams of cosmic debris called meteoroids entering earth’s atmosphere at extremely high speeds on parallel trajectories.
Most meteors are smaller than a grain of sand, so almost all of them disintegrate and never hit the earth’s surface.