Community Corner

Delta Aquarid Meteor Shower 2013 Peak: When and Where to Watch in Arlington

The Delta Aquarids may be a bit tough to see this year but the show's a long one, overlapping with the famed Perseid meteor shower.

By Todd Richissin

The 2013 Delta Aquarid meteor shower peak is a decidedly good news, bad news event.

First, the bad: The date for this year’s Delta Aquarid’s peak is July 29, when a quarter moon will wash a lot of pre-dawn meteors from view.

Find out what's happening in Arlingtonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The good news: The Delta Aquarids is a long show, extending well into August and overlapping with the viewing dates of the more famous Perseids meteor shower 2013 peak, which is Aug. 11 to 13.

Already, the Delta Aquarids is active, having officially begun on July 12.

Find out what's happening in Arlingtonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Check out this video of the Delta Aquarids and these Delta Aquarids photos.

Comets, the sun and Earth’s path all play a role in allowing for these great shows. When a comet warms up from the sun, it breaks up a bit, hitting the Earth’s upper atmosphere and vaporizing, which gives that appearance of shooting starts.

The best place to watch is the darkest place possible. In Arlington, that can be tough.

"There's so much light pollution in Arlington, they don't think there's anywhere that's good," Arlington Parks and Recreation spokeswoman Susan Kalish told Patch after checking with the county's parks officials.

Some stargazers have had luck at Fort C.F. Smith Park in the Woodmont community or at Long Branch Nature Center on South Carlin Springs Road, she said. One Washington Post reader said he was able to see some of the Geminid meteor shower in December at Bon Air Park.

Arlington parks officials are planning a skywatching training session — and for that, they're going to Riverbend Park in Great Falls.

If you don’t see these meteors, hang in there: The Perseids peaks in the pre-dawn hours of Aug. 11, and the moon won’t be around to spoil the show, consistently a top favorite for stargazers.

Here’s a taste: See video of the Perseid meteor shower, or check out photos of the Perseids to see what you can expect.


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