How to watch Meteors in Moonlight

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How to watch meteors in moonlight
Deborah Byrd and Bruce McClure, ASTRONOMY ESSENTIALS | July 24, 2018

A bright moon will do its best to drown out the peak of the 2018 Delta Aquariid meteor shower this week. Here are some tips for enjoying meteors in moonlight.

The Delta Aquariid meteor shower doesn’t have a strong peak, as some showers do. It rambles along pretty steadily in late July and early August, overlapping with the more famous Perseid meteor shower. But it does have a nominal peak, this year on the night of July 27-28, along with a lunar eclipse that night and the brightest Mars since 2003. If you’re in the world’s Eastern Hemisphere, where the eclipse will be seen, you might see some meteors during the eclipse. What a cool photo that would be! But, for the rest of us, that bright full moon – prior to the eclipse, or fresh from it – is sure to drown Delta Aquariid meteors in its glare. Here’s how to minimize the moon and optimize the 2018 Delta Aquariid meteors.

1. Forget about the Delta Aquariid peak entirely and wait until the moon leaves the sky. Take that, moon! Remember, the Delta Aquariids don’t have a strong peak and will still be going when the Perseids peak in August.

2. Sprawl out in a moon shadow. If you plan to watch the Delta Aquariids this week, in the light of the moon, notice that the full moon casts shadows. Find a moon shadow somewhere that still provides you with a wide expanse of sky for meteor-viewing. A plateau area with high-standing mountains to block out the moon would work just fine. If you can’t do that, find a hedgerow of trees bordering a wide open field somewhere (though obtain permission, if it’s private land). Or simply sit in the shadow of a barn or other building. Ensconced within a moon shadow, and far from the glow of city lights, the night all of a sudden darkens while the meteors brighten.

3. Avoid city lights. This should go without saying, but just a reminder. A wide open area – a field or a lonely country road – is best if you’re serious about watching meteors.

4. Watch with a friend or friends, and try facing in different directions so that if someone sees a meteor, that person can call out – “meteor!” – to the rest.

5. Notice the speed and colors, if any, of the meteors.

6. Watch for meteor trains. A meteor train is a persistent glow in the air, left by some meteors after they have faded from view. Trains are caused by luminous ionized matter left in the wake of this incoming space debris. A good percentage of Delta Aquariids are known to leave persistent trains. They linger for a moment or two after the meteor has gone. Again, hard to see in the moonlight, but watch for them!

7. Embrace the moon. We hear people bubble with excitement about seeing meteors in all sorts of conditions – moon or no moon – city lights or no city lights. And so, this week, try taking your lawn chair or blanket to a wide open location and bask in the moon’s bright light. You’ll see an occasional meteor streak by. It’ll be beautiful!