As the end of the school year draws to a close, it’s a good idea to start planning some simple, fun, and relaxing summer activities. An activity I personally recommend is stargazing. The only things you need to stargaze are a chair that you can comfortably lean back in and bug spray. Although constellations are cool, it’s most interesting to look out for celestial events, more specifically, meteor showers.
To watch meteor showers, it’s important to watch at midnight and when there is not a lot of moonlight, or when the moon is less than 50% full. For summer 2025, there are two meteor showers occurring.
The Southern Delta Aquariids meteor shower will occur through July 18th to August 12th and will peak the 29th and 30th of July. Sadly, this meteor shower is better seen in the southern hemisphere, causing it to look very faint here in America. However, it makes up for in faintness with quantity; especially at its peak, you are able to see many meteors in one night. The Alpha Capricornids meteor shower is active from July 12th to August 12th and will peak at the same time as the Southern Delta Aquariids meteor shower. It has a lower rate of meteors per hour compared to the Southern Delta Aquariids, but it has a much greater amount of fireballs, or particularly bright meteors.
Another noteworthy event is the lunar eclipse coming this September 7th. Unfortunately, this event will not be visible in the Americas or Greenland. Full moons will happen June 11th, July 10th, August 9th, and September 7th, while new moons will happen June 25th, July 24th, and August 23rd. If you are interested in planets, you may want to find mercury on July 4th, which is when mercury will be most bright. You will be able to find Mercury low in the southern sky, right after sunset.
All these celestial events may sound fun, but it’s imperative that you stargaze the right way. Laying down in a chair to look up at the stars will make sure your neck won’t hurt after a few minutes. Wearing bug spray is necessary to keep away mosquitos, especially in the summertime. Turn off all lights around you, even those in your home, to see the stars more clearly. Even after turning off the lights, it’s important to be patient while stargazing. It will take a few minutes for your eyes to adjust, but it’s worth it! You may even see a shooting star.
