A steady summer shower that blends into the early Perseids.
Peak rate
~25 meteors/hr at peak
Active
18 Jul – 21 Aug
Radiant
Aquarius
Speed
41 km/s
Parent body
Comet 96P/Machholz
Moon at peak
Peak-night moon 99% lit — washes out fainter meteors
The Southern Delta Aquariids deliver a gentle but dependable ~25 meteors an hour at the end of July, with no sharp peak — activity stays near maximum for several nights. Their faint, medium-speed streaks overlap the build-up of the Perseids, so late-July nights often show meteors from both.
The shower favours southern latitudes, where the radiant in Aquarius climbs higher in the sky.