The Southern Delta Aquariid meteor shower is visible every year in late July, when Earth encounters debris of ice and dust left behind by Comet P/2008 Y12 (SOHO). The shower favors observers in the Southern Hemisphere. It is the second most active meteor shower in the Southern Hemisphere, after the Eta Aquariids in May.
Southern Delta Aquariid meteor shower in 2026
Activity period: The Southern Delta Aquariid meteor shower will be active from July 12 to August 23 and will peak on the night of July 30–31, 2026.
When to see: As seen from mid-northern latitudes, the Southern Delta Aquariid radiant—the point from which the meteors appear to radiate—lies low in the southeastern sky around midnight and reaches its highest point in the southern sky around 2:00 a.m. local time. Therefore, the shower will be best viewed during the wee hours of July 31, 2026, when the radiant climbs to a reasonable height above the horizon.
Note for observers: Unlike the Quadrantids in January or the Lyrids in April, the Southern Delta Aquariids do not have a sharp peak but rather a broad, rounded maximum that lasts for about a week. As a result, you can expect a high number of meteors during the wee hours from late July to early August.
Moon phase during peak activity: In 2026, on the peak night, a waning gibbous moon will rise in the evening and remain visible for the rest of the night. As a result, bright moonlight will severely interfere with observations of the Southern Delta Aquariids this year. Try to observe the shower from a location in the moon’s shadow.
Expected meteors during peak activity: The Southern Delta Aquariids are a strong shower, producing around 25 meteors per hour during peak activity under ideal conditions. However, in 2026, bright moonlight will reduce this rate to only a few meteors per hour.
Radiant: The radiant of the Southern Delta Aquariid meteor shower lies in the zodiac constellation Aquarius, the Water Bearer. It is located near the star Skat (Delta Aquarii) and not far from the bright star Fomalhaut.
Although Southern Delta Aquariid meteors appear to radiate from Aquarius, they can appear anywhere in the sky. Therefore, you do not need to identify the radiant to observe the shower.
View from the Southern Hemisphere: As seen from mid-southern latitudes, the Southern Delta Aquariid radiant lies low in the eastern sky around 9:00 p.m. local time and reaches almost overhead around 2:00 a.m. local time. Therefore, the shower will be best viewed from late evening until dawn, when the radiant climbs high in the sky. The shower favors Southern Hemisphere observers because the radiant climbs higher in the sky than it does for observers in the Northern Hemisphere.
Chances of meteor trains and fireballs: The Southern Delta Aquariid meteors lack persistent trains (glowing trails left behind by bright meteors that can last several seconds) and fireballs (meteors with bright flashes). The meteors from this shower generally tend to be fainter, with an average magnitude of +2.8. Around 10% of the Southern Delta Aquariid meteors leave persistent trains, and the brightest ones are often reported to appear yellow or bluish-yellow.
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