The Lyrids will fill the sky from April 16 to April 25, with a peak on April 22. Like all meteor showers, it’s best seen after midnight, but can be seen any time after its parent system rises at around 9 p.m. local time. Skywatchers should see about 18 meteors per hour at maximum.
The Lyrid meteor shower is caused by Earth passing through the path of the comet Thatcher, and its bright streaks, traveling as fast as 110,000 miles per hour, or 30 miles per second (177,000 kilometers per hour, 49 kilometers per second) can typically shine about as bright as the stars in the Big Dipper, usually making it a great beginner meteor shower. Sometimes, viewers even see fireballs in the sky. [Amazing Lyrid Meteor Shower Photos ]
And a dark sky should be in store for viewers this year: “The moon will be really favorable for them this year; it will set by the time the Lyrid radiant is high in the sky,” Cooke told Space.com. “The moon will be around first quarter, so the moon will have set by the show getting fired up after midnight.”
“When you’re watching meteor showers, the thing you dread is getting the full moon, because that washes out all the fainter ones because of the bright light,” Cooke said. “The Lyrids, which are what we call a medium meteor shower, or a moderately intense meteor shower, are going to get washed out by the full moon.”
NEXT: Where to spot the Lyrids.
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