Starwatch: look out for the Delta Aquariids meteor shower

Formed from dust once in the tail of comet 96P/Machholz, the meteors can leave persistent trails in the sky

Start watching for the Delta Aquariids meteor shower this week. The chart shows the view looking south-east from London at midnight on 28 July. The radiate is marked. This is the point from which the meteors appear to radiate in all directions.

Most annual meteor showers have a well-defined peak of activity, but the Delta Aquariids are a more drawn-out affair. Although the predictions place the peak somewhere between 28 and 30 July, the activity can be just as strong leading up to and after the moment.