The Conversation contributed the article to Space.com's expert voices.

Professor (Astrophysics), University of SouthernQueensland, and Senior Curator (Astronomy), Museums Victoria are some of the people featured in this article.

Are you looking for something to make the night brighter?

This weekend might have something in store: not one, not two, but three meteor showers active at the same time, combined to provide a fireworks display almost all through the night.

The best time to view the showers will be the evening and night of Saturday and Sunday. You will have a lot of chances to catch the show while avoiding bad weather.

There's going to be a new moon, which means there won't be a lot of glare, which is a good thing.

There are dates and viewing advice in the guide.

Not one meteor shower, but three?

More than 4.5 billion years ago, the planets formed in the solar system. The comets and asteroids move on their way around the sun.

There are comets and asteroids that swing in towards the sun. They become shrouded in dust over a long period of time.

As it moves around the sun, Earth passes through these streams of debris, which causes the annual meteor shower. Every year, we return to the same place, encounter the same stream of debris, and get another nice show as that debris burns up harmlessly.

In the depths of the Australian winter, our planet is moving through space where three streams of debris intersect. The stars of this weekend's show are those three streams.

There are 3D animated depictions of the Southern Delta Aquariid and the Alpha Capricornid, which show how the debris is distributed.

The 3D visualisation of the Alpha Capricornid meteor stream allows you to move around the Solar system and see the debris stream in action.

The 3D visualisation of the Alpha Capricornid meteor stream allows you to move around the Solar system and see the debris stream in action. (Image credit: International Meteor Organisation/Screenshot)

A tale of three showers

The stars of the show are introduced.

The Southern Delta Aquariid is the most active shower. The majority of the meteorites you'll see this weekend are members of this stream.

Some argue about the origin of the Southern Delta Aquariids. The shower is thought to be linked to a large comet that fell apart and left behind a lot of debris.

Earth runs into the debris multiple times each year because it has spread out over thousands of years. The most active object in the debris stream is a comet called 96P/Machholtz.

Some surprises have been thrown by the Southern Delta Aquariid. Some people were able to see more than 60 meteors per hour. You don't know what might happen this year.

The Alpha Capricornid is the second shower. These produce the most fireballs. They have a reputation for being a "fireball" shower, where they produce spectacular meteors that surpass the stars.

These are the meteors that are most likely to be caught on film.

The Piscis Austrinid are the least studied of the three. They are a small shower that only produces a few meteors per hour. Their meteorites are very fast.

So where, and when, should I look?

Observers need to know when the shower's radiant will be above the horizon. The shower can be seen from the point in the sky known as the "radiant".

The name of the shower is named after the location. There is a point near the star Alpha Capricorni where the Alpha Capricornid can be found.

The radiants for the meteor showers will be high in the eastern sky, around 11pm local time. The planets Jupiter and Saturn, as well as the bright stars Fomalhaut, Altair (to the north-east) and Achernar (to the south-east) will be visible, weather permitting.

The radiants for the meteor showers will be high in the eastern sky, around 11pm local time. The planets Jupiter and Saturn, as well as the bright stars Fomalhaut, Altair (to the north-east) and Achernar (to the south-east) will be visible, weather permitting. (Image credit: Museums Victoria/Stellarium)

We're fortunate in the case of our mid winter trio. The three radiants rise from Australia in the early evening and reach a reasonable altitude around 10 pm.

You'll be able to see meteors at any time of the day or night. The best rates will be seen until dawn.

Try not to look at your phone once you're settled into a comfortable place. It's important that you adjust your eyes to the dark so you can see the stars. You will get back to square one if you stare at a screen for a second.

By morning, around 5am, local time, on Sunday, July 31, the meteor showers will appear to radiate from the western sky. The planets Saturn, Jupiter, and Mars should be visible too.

By morning, around 5am, local time, on Sunday, July 31, the meteor showers will appear to radiate from the western sky. The planets Saturn, Jupiter, and Mars should be visible too. (Image credit: Museums Victoria/Stellarium)

The best place to look for a shower is 45 degrees above the horizon and 45 degrees to the left or right of the shower.

It would be best to look to the east or northeast at night. The best time to look to the north is by midnight. You should look west or northwest in the hours before sunrise.

Don't worry once it's over. The three showers are going to put on a good show, but they aren't the best of the year. The Geminids is coming up in December. There are many things to look forward to.

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