The Lyrid Meteor Shower Peaks Tonight
Tonight's forecast looks promising for a prime view
On the nights of April 21 and 22, the annual Lyrid meteor shower will peak.
THE PEAK OF THE LYRID METEOR SHOWER TONIGHT!
Start looking around 10pm through to dawn.
You don’t need to look in any particular direction. Get comfortable and keep you gaze fixed on the sky.
You may see a handful per hour. https://t.co/AiCRIjtW5h#lyrids #Lyridsmeteorshower pic.twitter.com/AEeuH1nZqr
— VirtualAstro (@VirtualAstro) April 21, 2020
Known to be a medium strength shower, the Lyrids can produce exceptionally bright meteors known as “fireballs” (meteors as bright or brighter than Venus).
Went out last night for a couple hours missed the meteor of the night as it was right over head and literally went from 1 end of the sky to the other with a clear debris tail. This is the best shot I got last night. #Lyridsmeteorshower #Lyrids #MeteorShower #meteor #exploresask pic.twitter.com/dShyJUDkiP
— Craig Boehm (@Skstormchaser) April 22, 2020
Because the moon is near new this year during the shower peak, there is a good chance to see them better than usual. Keep your eyes trained directly overhead to see the most of the show.
A meteor shower occurs when the earth enters the debris field of a comet that has long ago passed around the sun. These bits of dust and grit, often no bigger than your thumbnail, enter the earth’s atmosphere and burn up high above the ground.
