Lyrid meteor shower peaks this week: How to watch
What's the story
After a long wait, the Lyrid meteor shower is finally making its appearance. The celestial event will be visible in the early hours of Wednesday, April 22. The meteors are named after the constellation Lyra, where they seem to originate from. The Lyrids are caused by debris from Comet C/1861 G1 (Thatcher). The best time for viewing is after midnight when the Vega star rises around 9pm local daylight time and climbs nearly overhead by 4am local daylight time.
Optimal conditions
Moon will not interfere in viewing the meteors
The peak of the Lyrid meteor shower will occur on Wednesday morning, with an expected rate of about 10 to 20 meteors per hour. The moon will be in its first quarter phase on April 23 but will have set by 1:15am on Wednesday. This leaves a dark and moonless sky for at least three hours before dawn, making it an ideal backdrop for viewing this celestial event.
Historical significance
Lyrids have been observed for over 2,600 years
The Lyrid meteor shower has been observed for over 2,600 years, with Chinese records dating back to 687 BC. The meteors are known for their bright streaks and fast speed, entering our atmosphere at around 48km/second. About 20-25% of them leave behind persistent trains. The Earth's orbit closely matches that of Comet C/1861 G1 (Thatcher), which is due to return around the year 2276.