Lyrid Meteor Shower

The Lyrids are here

Meteor shower (Photo courtesy of NASA)

(Photo courtesy of NASA)

How to “catch” a falling star? Go outside somewhere without a distracting light, Dress for the weather and be patient.

One of the oldest known meteor showers, the Lyrids, will be peaking tomorrow on Earth Day. Best is to watch for them late Monday night and very early Tuesday morning.

They tend to average about 18 per hour but have been known to shoot out as many as 100 meteors per hour. However, the moon which is almost full, now, might make the meteors harder to catch.

These meteors are very bright but they move fast. Their velocity is 29 miles (47 kilometers) per second.

The Lyrids started about April 15 and will last until April 29 but the highest number will be seen shooting across the sky before dawn, April 23.

First reported by the Chinese in 687 BC, the Lyrids’ radiant is Constellation Lyra with C/1861 G1 Thatcher as its comet of origin.

For more information visit EarthSky, NASA Science and Space.

Eyes up for the Lyrids

NASA photo of a meteor shower (Photo courtesy of NASA)

Now that April’s full moon is starting to wane moonlight will hopefully not interfere with April’s meteor shower: the Lyrids.

Known for how bright they are and fast they fly across the sky leaving glowing trails of dust, they already began on April 16, but they peak between April 21-23 with between 15 to 20 meteors per hour.

The Lyrids, called that because they seem to come from the constellation Lyra, were first recorded by the Chinese in 687 BC, making them the oldest known meteor shower.

What observers see is debris from the C/1861 G1 Thatcher comet in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres as the comet’s orbit crosses those skies in mid-late April.

Best time to watch is predawn when the moon has set and the sky is still dark. If watching for them, give your eyes a chance to adjust to the night sky and find a spot away from street and highway lights and businesses.

For more information visit NASA at SolarSystem.nasa.gov and EarthSky at Meteor Shower Guide.

Watch for Lyrid meteors this week

Assuming the weather cooperates, early risers should have no trouble spotting a fireball zooming across the sky shortly before dawn in the next few days. The Lyrids meteor shower is happening now.

They seem to be shooting out (radiant) from the Lyric constellation just northwest of its bright Vega star. They are debris from the comet Thatcher (C/1861 G1), first noted more than 2,500 years ago.

The best days to look for them are April 21-22 when the Lyrids are expected to peak at about 18 meteors an hour. Pre dawn is the best time to watch because the moon is waxing gibbous so its illumination won’t be a factor after it sets.

For the time to watch in your zone visit Time and Date. For more information on where to look visit Space which has a map to help find the radiant. For more basic meteor and Lyrid information visit NASA Lyrids.

Meteor showers happen when Earth is in a comet's orbital path and comet debris fly across the sky. (NASA photo) — Meteor showers happen when Earth is in a comet’s orbital path and comet debris fly across the sky. (NASA photo)

If lucky enough to be in a part of North America not covered by clouds tonight look up.

The Lyrid Meteor Shower has been going on up above since April 16 while we have been going on with other business.

But it peaks from April 21 to April 23 with about 20 meteors zooming across the sky each hour.

What you need is to be away from street and building lights and look northeast after 10 p.m. or get up early while it’s still dark outside.

The Lyrids, the debris left by the comet thatcher, was named for its radiant point near the very bight Vega Star.

It is among the first meteor showers ever recorded according to old Chinese documents. The comet, itself, is expected to be seen again in 2276.

Good meteor shower references can be found at Time and Date, Space and Earth and Sky.

Jodie Jacobs