When the Earth travels through a comet’s debris stream, a meteor shower happens.
That debris burns up as it enters the atmosphere, creating brilliant streaks in the sky behind it.
Regarding the Delta Aquariids, there has been disagreement over which comet is causing the shower; nevertheless, it is currently believed to be Comet 96P/Machholz, a comet that is grazing in the sun.
Earth started traveling through the debris path on July 12, but now is your best opportunity to see it because it peaks tonight.
After that, it will continue every night until it ends around August 25.
According to the Royal Observatory Greenwich, comet 96P/Machholz is around four miles across and completes one orbit of the sun in slightly over five years.
During its orbit, the comet passes very close to the sun, vaporizing its ice and releasing tiny particles of dust and rock.
The Delta Aquariid meteor shower is the result of the debris stream formed by that rock and dust.
