Lyrid meteor shower: what to know
At the end of April, aerial viewers in the northern hemisphere will get a glimpse of the 2018 Lyrid meteor shower. Here’s everything you need to know about this year’s sunglasses.
The annual Lyrid meteor shower will illuminate the night sky this week, culminating Thursday in the early hours of the morning.
While the first months of the year have been quiet since the quadrant rains in January, the Lyrids are a welcome sight for observers hoping for a heavenly spectacle.
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Although the shooting stars could appear in the sky anywhere, curious stargazers could look at the meteorite constellation Lyra – the harp – as a reference as Lyrid meteors apparently radiate from near the bright star Vega, EarthSky reported on Tuesday.
The American Meteor Society shows that the moon will be about 68% full on Thursday, which could potentially affect visibility.
A meteor stings the sky under the stars illuminated on a clear night on April 21, 2020 in London, England. Multiple exposures have been combined in camera to produce this image. (Photo by Simon Robling / Getty Images)
(Simon Robling / Getty Images)
Light pollution can also be a debilitating factor and experts advise viewers to find an unobstructed view.
According to NASA, Lyrids is one of the oldest known meteor showers.
The agency notes that they are recognizable by their fast and clear meteors and that they can erupt up to 100 meteors per hour.
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In general, 10 to 20 Lyrid meteors per hour can be observed at their peak, at a speed of 30 miles per second, and NASA notes that Lyrids leave glowing dust trains behind as they flame through Earth’s atmosphere.
The source of the shower is the Comet Thatcher (C / 1861 G1), which was discovered on April 5, 1861 by the astronomer AE Thatcher.
As the earth crosses the orbit of Thatcher, it passes through a trail of debris and is bombarded with comet debris for two weeks.
Thatcher was last seen in the 19th century and, according to Insider, is not expected to return until 2276.
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After passing the Lyrids Pass, there are still 11 meteor showers this year.
The Lyrids will overlap with the Eta Aquarids meteor shower which, according to NASA, will peak in early May.