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The Lyrid meteor shower will peak Monday night, April 21 into Tuesday morning, April 22 and be active through Friday, April 25,
During the peak, up to 20 shooting stars per hour may be visible under dark skies, AccuWeather says.
For optimal viewing, NASA recommends watching after 10:30 p.m. local time until dawn, with the best activity typically around 5 a.m. A waning crescent moon, rising around 3:30 a.m., will be only 27 percent full, providing minimal interference for meteor watchers.
“For the best experience, face roughly toward the east, lie down in a safe, dark place away from bright lights, and look straight overhead,” NASA advises.
But viewing conditions for the peak period along the East Coast could be problematic, with mostly cloudy skies expected overnight Monday into Tuesday. (See the first image above from AccuWeather.)
“Don’t give up if cloudy skies on Monday night spoil your chance to witness the Lyrids," said AccuWeather Meteorologist and Astronomy Expert Brian Lada. "The Lyrid meteor shower will remain active on Tuesday night as well. There won’t be as many shooting stars, but it’s a second chance to look up and see the show in the sky,”
While the meteors appear to radiate from the constellation Lyra, they can streak across any part of the sky. Some Lyrids are known for leaving bright dust trails that linger for several seconds.
The Lyrids originate from Comet Thatcher, a long-period comet that last approached the sun in 1861 and orbits roughly every 415.5 years.
As Earth crosses the comet’s ancient debris trail each spring, the annual meteor shower returns with a light show that’s been observed for over 2,600 years.
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