Overview
- The Lyrid meteor shower, which peaks Tuesday night into early Wednesday, should produce about 10 to 20 meteors per hour for observers under dark skies.
- The prime window comes after roughly 2 a.m. local time once the thin crescent moon has set, when the sky is darkest.
- In the UK, the Met Office expects clearer skies across much of England and Wales, with cloud likely over Scotland, northeast England and parts of the far southwest, and Wednesday night looks less favorable.
- The streaks come from dust shed by Comet Thatcher that slams into Earth’s atmosphere at about 31 miles per second and burns into quick trails of light.
- Viewers boost their chances by leaving city lights behind, skipping telescopes or binoculars, and giving eyes 20 to 30 minutes to adjust to the dark.