Named after constellation Lyra, the Lyrids are one of the oldest recorded meteor showers—according to some historical Chinese texts, the shower was seen over 2,500 years ago. "The Leonids hit us head-on," he said. In late April, skywatchers in the Northern Hemisphere will get a view of the Lyrid meteor shower, the dusty trail of a comet with a centuries-long orbit around the sun. The moon will be a thin crescent only about two days from the new moon, Cooke said, so the moonlight won't flood your observations. April Meteor Shower. That's why they happen around the same time every year and appear to originate from specific points in the sky. You don't need any kind of special equipment to see the meteors; just look up at the dark sky, be patient and enjoy the show.
Don't look directly toward the radiant, though, because you might miss the meteors with the longest tails. The peak of the Lyrid meteor shower will be overnight on April 21-22, NASA meteor expert Bill Cooke told Space.com. It won't be back until the year 2276.

The Lyrid meteor shower of 2020 will have a period of activity from April 16 to April 30. Although there is an average of 30 years between these outbursts, that's only an average; the actual number of years between the events varies, Cooke said. Lyrid meteor shower 2020: When, where & how to see it. The shower's radiant is located at the center of this stellar map… ", Lyrid meteors come in fast — though not as fast as the Leonids, which peak in November, Cooke said.

"People say there is some periodicity there," Cooke said, "but the data doesn't support that." The radiant of the shower (the area of the sky where meteors appear to shoot from) is located near the brightest star in the constellation Lyra and the fifth-brightest star in the night sky – Vega (Alpha Lyrae). Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom and on Facebook. Lyrid meteors are little pieces of Comet Thatcher, a long-period comet that orbits the sun about once every 415 years. The Lyrids are one of the oldest recorded showers, Cooke said, with observations going back to 687 B.C. How to see the best meteor showers of 2020, The 10 must-see skywatching events to look for in 2020. The Lyrid meteor shower of 2020 will have a period of activity from April 16 to April 30. It peaks on the night of April 21-22. The Lyrid Meteor Shower is usually active between April 16 and 25 every year. The Lyrid meteors streak across the sky between April 16 and April 30, so skywatchers have a chance to see them during that window, weather permitting. The Lyrid meteor shower will peak tonight (April 21), scattering between 10 and 20 meteors across the sky. Show full articles without "Continue Reading" button for {0} hours.

The radiant — the point from which the meteors appear to originate — will be high in the evening sky in the constellation Lyra to the northeast of Vega, one of the brightest stars visible in the night sky this time of year. For a limited time, you can take out a digital subscription to any of our best-selling science magazines for just $2.38 per month, or 45% off the standard price for the first three months.View Deal, Like us on Facebook to see similar stories.

The Lyrid meteor shower is of medium brightness, but not as luminous as the famous Perseid meteor shower in August, which tends to produce more prominent trails, Cooke said. The shower's radiant is … Oldest Recorded Meteor Shower.

It peaks on the night of April 21-22. (Comet Thatcher's most recent perihelion, or closest approach to the sun, was in 1861. While the average Lyrid shower produces 15 to 20 meteors per hour, this year skywatchers can expect to see about 10 per hour, depending on how clear and dark your sky is, Cooke said. Microsoft may earn an Affiliate Commission if you purchase something through recommended links in this article. The shower will be best seen … ), Meteor showers occur when the Earth crosses the path of a comet, colliding with a trail of comet crumbs. As with most meteor showers, the peak viewing time will be before dawn, but the Lyrids will be visible beginning at about 10:30 p.m. local time. Some years, the Lyrid meteor shower intensifies and can produce up to 100 meteors per hour in what's called an "outburst," but it is difficult to predict exactly when that will happen. Pieces of debris left in the comet's wake, however, make an appearance every year.

It tends to peak around April 22 or 23. Related: The most amazing Lyrid meteor shower photos of all time. The peak of the Lyrid meteor shower will be overnight on April 21-22, NASA meteor expert Bill Cooke told Space.com. As they burn up in the atmosphere, the meteors leave bright streaks in the sky commonly referred to as "shooting stars. The annual Lyrid meteor shower is active from April 16 to 28 and produces its maximum activity around 22 April every year. "The Lyrids are more like hitting the left front fender.". Lyrid meteors will appear to originate from a point in the sky on the border between the constellations Hercules and Lyra (home of the … Editor's note: If you snap a great photo Lyrid meteor shower that you'd like to share for a possible story or image gallery, send photos, comments and your name and observing location to spacephotos@space.com. OFFER: Save 45% on 'All About Space' 'How it Works' and 'All About History'!