- Lyrid’s meteor shower reached a peak early Thursday morning. People can spot 10 to 20 meteors per hour.
- The meteors were left over from a nearby comet and burned as they entered our atmosphere.
- The moon will be more than half full, so it will be difficult to see the shower. Here’s how to look.
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The first meteor shower of spring reached a peak on Thursday morning.
The Lyrid meteorite storm, which occurs at the end of April each year, occurs when the earth moves through the tail of a comet. As debris from that comet enters the atmosphere of our planet, it burns up, leaving behind streaks in the sky that are visible to the naked eye for a few seconds.
When the Lyrids reach a peak, people can expect to see between 10 and 20 meteors every hour. These meteors leave “glowing dust trains” in their wake when they crumble, according to NASA.
The moon is more than half full this week, which will make it harder to see the stars. Here are some tips to get the Lyrids in action.
Start out early Thursday morning before the sun rises
The Lyrid meteor shower over the ancient city of Aizanoi in Kutahya, Turkey on April 23, 2014.
Fatma Selma Kocabas Aydin / Anadolu Agency / Getty
The best time to see the Lyrids is on Thursday 22 April in the morning hours before sunrise.
If you wait until the washing moon sets – about four hours on the US east coast – it will be easier to detect the meteorites and their dust trains. Otherwise, the bright glow of the near full moon (it will be 68% full on Thursday) could obscure the meteoric streaks.
Go to an area far from a city or street lights, and bring a sleeping bag or blanket. It is not necessary to pack a telescope or binoculars, as meteor showers are best seen with the naked eye.
“Lie flat on your back with your feet to the east and look up, taking in as much of the air as possible,” NASA’s website said. “After about 30 minutes in the dark, your eyes will adjust and your meteors will start to see.”
The shooting stars can appear anywhere in the sky, but if you need a reference point, look at the resinous constellation Lyra, from which the Lyrids often look. (This is how they get their name.)
If you miss the program on Thursday morning, there will still be meteors to see on Friday. In fact, the Lyrid meteor shower will continue until April 30 this year. It usually ends by April 25th.
One of the oldest known meteor showers
Don Pettit, an astronaut aboard the International Space Station, photographed a Lyrid meteor on April 1, 2012.
NASA / JSC / D. Pettit
Mankind has known for almost three millennia about the meteor shower of Lyrid: The first observation dates back to 687 BC in China, according to NASA.
The meteors come from a comet called Thatcher, named after the astronomer who first identified the space rock in 1861.
It takes Thatcher 415 years to orbit the sun (we will only see it again in the year 2276). As it orbits the solar system, Thatcher’s tail leaves a trail of debris and remaining comet particles.
Every April, the Earth passes through Thatcher’s rubble and is bombarded with comet garbage for two weeks – causing a dazzling meteor shower.
After passing the Lyrids Pass, there are 11 more meteor showers to look out for this year. One of the most popular, the Perseids, will peak on the night of August 11th.