🌠 Double the Magic: Two Meteor Showers Will Light Up Ann Arbor’s Skies July 30–31

Toni Wells
Jul 9
2 min read

Ann Arbor stargazers, mark your calendars. The night of July 30 into the early hours of July 31 will bring something rare and beautiful to our skies: two meteor showers peaking at the same time. That’s right—the α-Capricornids and the Southern δ-Aquariids will both reach their peak visibility, creating a light show of up to 30 shooting stars per hour.

And the timing couldn’t be better. The waxing crescent Moon will set early, meaning the sky will be perfectly dark—no moonlight to drown out the stars. All you’ll need is a clear sky, a dark spot away from city lights, and a wide-open view of the southern horizon.

Where to Look

If you want the best view, follow this tip from Valerie Stimac of Space Tourism Guide:

Start by finding the Capricorn constellation low in the south-southeastern sky. It's the easier of the two to spot.
From there, look slightly eastward to find Aquarius, where the much more active Southern δ-Aquariids will appear. Aquarius is harder to locate by constellation, but the number of meteors flying from that direction will help guide your eyes.

You probably won’t be able to tell which meteor belongs to which shower—but that’s part of the fun. According to Starwalk, α-Capricornid meteors are slower and tend to be brighter, which may help you spot the difference.

A Note on Location

The further south you are, the higher in the sky the meteors will appear. Here in Ann Arbor, we’re on the northern side of the optimal viewing zone, so the meteors may appear closer to the southern horizon.That means you’ll want to find a location with minimal obstructions—no trees, hills, or tall buildings blocking your view to the south.

Best Viewing Tips

Go late: Peak activity is usually after midnight.
Let your eyes adjust: It takes about 20–30 minutes for your night vision to kick in.
Bring a blanket or lawn chair: You’ll be looking up for a while.
Avoid phone screens: The bright light can ruin your night vision.

Events like this don’t happen often—two showers, peaking on the same night, with nearly perfect viewing conditions? That’s the kind of summer night memory you don’t want to miss.

📍 Know a great stargazing spot in Washtenaw County? Tag us on Instagram @annarborhub and we might feature it in a roundup.

🔭 Want more skywatching updates and local events? Follow @AnnArborHub Socials.

See you under the stars.