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Lyrids Meteor Shower Peaks April 22-23
April 20, 2023 at 12:24 AM EDT
By Weatherbug Meteorologist John Benedict
Sky watchers can take in one of nature’s best overnight shows over the next few days as the Lyrid Meteor shower peaks between April 22-23.
One of spring’s only meteor showers, the Lyrids are active from April 15 to April 29, but will peak this weekend. The meteors from the Lyrids will appear to radiate from the constellation of Lyra, near its brightest star, Vega. The constellation rises in the northeast sky in the evening; a sky chart downloadable to your mobile phone will help locate the constellation easily.
This year the new moon falls on April 20, so during the peak of the Lyrids this weekend, a waxing crescent moon will only be around 10% illuminated which will lead to more favorable viewing conditions compared to recent years. The best time to view the Lyrids will be during the predawn hours, but meteors will likely become visible as early as 10:30 pm local time.
Expect about 15 to 20 meteors per hour, so some patience will be needed to see this celestial show. Although the peak is tonight, meteors or “shooting stars” will still be visible through much of the week. As the moon continues to wane better viewing conditions are possible this weekend and early next week.
The cause of this annual display is material ejected by the comet Thatcher during its previous passes through our solar system. But don`t try to look for the comet... it won`t be in Earth’s neighborhood for another century or so! Thatcher last had its closest approach to the sun back in 1861.
The reason the comet is responsible for this meteor shower is that every April the Earth is crossing the orbit of Thatcher as it makes its journey around the Sun. As that happens, left-over debris from the comet`s tail enters our atmosphere and burns up as it falls to the atmosphere which create the annual spectacle.
Whether you call them falling stars, shooting stars, or by their scientific name, meteors, they all begin the same way - as small particles of debris that burn up in the Earth`s atmosphere and emit a visible light trail. Most meteors range from the size of a grain of sand to the size of a pebble, and streak across the sky up to 40 miles per second - that`s about 200 times faster than the speed of sound.
A few tips for optimal viewing:
Image: The radiant point of the Lyrid meteor shower is near the star Alpha Lyrae (proper name Vega), the brightest star in the constellation Lyra the Harp.
Sources: NASA, Space.com
One of spring’s only meteor showers, the Lyrids are active from April 15 to April 29, but will peak this weekend. The meteors from the Lyrids will appear to radiate from the constellation of Lyra, near its brightest star, Vega. The constellation rises in the northeast sky in the evening; a sky chart downloadable to your mobile phone will help locate the constellation easily.
This year the new moon falls on April 20, so during the peak of the Lyrids this weekend, a waxing crescent moon will only be around 10% illuminated which will lead to more favorable viewing conditions compared to recent years. The best time to view the Lyrids will be during the predawn hours, but meteors will likely become visible as early as 10:30 pm local time.
Expect about 15 to 20 meteors per hour, so some patience will be needed to see this celestial show. Although the peak is tonight, meteors or “shooting stars” will still be visible through much of the week. As the moon continues to wane better viewing conditions are possible this weekend and early next week.
The cause of this annual display is material ejected by the comet Thatcher during its previous passes through our solar system. But don`t try to look for the comet... it won`t be in Earth’s neighborhood for another century or so! Thatcher last had its closest approach to the sun back in 1861.
The reason the comet is responsible for this meteor shower is that every April the Earth is crossing the orbit of Thatcher as it makes its journey around the Sun. As that happens, left-over debris from the comet`s tail enters our atmosphere and burns up as it falls to the atmosphere which create the annual spectacle.
Whether you call them falling stars, shooting stars, or by their scientific name, meteors, they all begin the same way - as small particles of debris that burn up in the Earth`s atmosphere and emit a visible light trail. Most meteors range from the size of a grain of sand to the size of a pebble, and streak across the sky up to 40 miles per second - that`s about 200 times faster than the speed of sound.
A few tips for optimal viewing:
- Remember that for optimal viewing, you should get as far away from city lights as possible, and let your eyes adjust to the darkness for at least a half hour.
- Just use your naked eyes - telescopes and binoculars will not help you see them better and will only limit your field of view.
- Prepare for cool temperatures by wearing layers and taking a blanket.
Image: The radiant point of the Lyrid meteor shower is near the star Alpha Lyrae (proper name Vega), the brightest star in the constellation Lyra the Harp.
Sources: NASA, Space.com