Lyrid meteor shower will reach its peak this Sunday night; check how to see

Every year, on its journey around the Sun, Earth encounters a cloud of dust particles from comet C/1861 G1 Thatcher. When they collide, they enter the Earth’s atmosphere and disintegrate to give rise to the Lyrid meteor shower, an astronomical phenomenon that lights up the night sky in April.

The Lyrid meteor shower, named after the constellation Lyra, will peak around 10:06 pm ET on Sunday, April 23, according to EarthSky.

But when is the best time to see this show and how do you keep up with it?

According to the American Meteor Society, the fragments will be best seen in the northern hemisphere, where the light is high in the sky at dawn. It is also possible to see the rain from the southern hemisphere, but at a slower pace.

Want a better view?

EarthSky suggests trying between the night of April 21st and sunrise April 22nd, or between the night of April 22nd and sunrise April 23rd, to see the meteor shower clearly.

In a dark moonless sky, you can see 10-15 meteors per hour. “Lyrids often have unpredictable waves, so be prepared for unexpected meteor clusters,” explains EarthSky.

Observers should also be on the lookout for fireballs or glowing dust trails left by meteors.

This phenomenon could happen until April 29th.

Get ready to look up at the night sky

Observers should find an area away from light pollution from cities and lie down so they can see most of the night sky. NASA recommends waiting 30 minutes for your eyes to adjust to the dark and make meteor detection easier.

Lyrids have been observed for 2,700 years, according to NASA. This event typically has bright, fast-moving meteors and spikes of up to 100 meteors seen per hour.

Plus, in 2023, the moon won’t get in the way of lilies, EarthSky assures.