Meteor Shower Tonight: Where Will Lyrid Fireballs Be Visible?

The peak activity will be about 18 meteors per hour

Lyrids Meteor Shower
The Lyrids Meteor Shower 2024 is underway. NASA/JSC/D. Pettit

The 2024 Lyrids meteor shower is hitting its peak. The showers take place from April 15 to April 29 with the peak on April 23.

The peak activity will be about 18 meteors per hour.

The Lyrids are known for their fast and bright meteors.

Lyrids generally don't have long, glowing dust trains but they can produce the occasional bright flash called a fireball.

Lyrids Viewing Tips

The Lyrids are best viewed in the Northern Hemisphere during the dark hours (after moonset and before dawn).

To get a good view, find a dark area. Lie flat on your back with your feet facing east and look up. After about 30 minutes in the dark, your eyes will adapt and you will begin to see meteors. The meteors will last until dawn and closer to dawn is expected to be the best time to see them due to the full moon.

The Lyrids are one of the oldest known meteor showers, according to NASA, and have been observed for 2,700 years. The first recorded sighting of a Lyrid meteor shower goes back to 687 BC by the Chinese.

Meteors come from leftover comet particles and bits from broken asteroids.

Tags
Meteor Shower, Meteor, United States, Fireball
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