Overview
- The Lyrid meteor shower, which reaches a calculated maximum Wednesday night, is expected to produce about 15 to 20 meteors per hour.
- Viewing is best after midnight to dawn when the radiant in the Lyra constellation stands high and the morning sky is moonless.
- Germany’s weather service expects more clear spells from Tuesday, with better chances in the north and night lows near minus 2 degrees Celsius.
- For the best view, choose a dark countryside spot, dress warmly, skip telescopes, and let your eyes adjust for about 30 minutes without looking at your phone.
- The streaks come from sand-grain debris of comet C/1861 G1 (Thatcher) hitting the atmosphere at roughly 50 kilometers per second, which makes the air glow.