Under dark, starry skies, away from the glow of city lights, you might be lucky enough to see a meteor streak across the heavens. Yet, during certain times of the year, observers can enjoy the breathtaking spectacle of meteor showers, where countless meteors blaze through the night.
Meteor showers occur when Earth moves through debris fields left by comets or asteroids orbiting the sun. As these particles enter the atmosphere, they create bright, fiery trails.
Due to the predictable nature of these debris trails, meteor showers recur around the same period annually, though their visibility can be affected by the moon’s phase.
The Lyrids are the first major meteor shower of the spring season, active from April 15 to 29, with the peak viewing times from Saturday night into Sunday morning, April 22 to 23.
Peaking shortly after a new moon, the Lyrids will offer the chance to see up to 18 meteors per hour.
This shower is best observed in the early pre-dawn hours in the Northern Hemisphere, though some activity may also be seen in the Southern Hemisphere.