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Lyrids Meteor Shower Begins With Peak Set for April 21-22

Limited moonlight next week should make faint streaks easier to see.

Startrails are seen during the Lyrids meteor shower over Michaelskapelle on April 21, 2020 in Niederhollabrunn, Austria.
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Overview

  • The annual Lyrids, which begin Tuesday and run through April 30, are now active across the night sky.
  • The peak comes the night of April 21 into the early hours of April 22, with the best views in the dark before dawn from the Northern Hemisphere.
  • The moon will be about 27% full at peak and a new moon arrives April 17, reducing glare and helping dim meteors stand out.
  • The shower comes from dust left by Comet C/1861 G1 Thatcher, and though its radiant is in the constellation Lyra, meteors can appear anywhere overhead.
  • Expected rates vary by conditions, with Forbes citing about 15 to 20 meteors per hour and USA TODAY guiding casual skywatchers to around five to six per hour.