Lyrid meteor shower 2025. Here's when the dazzling show peaks
It's one of the oldest known meteor showers and you'll be able to see it as of this week.
The Lyrids have been observed annually for about 2,700 years, according to NASA, and now you could be a part of that tradition just by looking up to the sky. The first recorded sighting of a Lyrid meteor shower was in 687 BC by the Chinese,
Lyrids are also known for "meteor trains," which are trails of ionized gases that glow for a few seconds after the meteor has passed, according to the EarthSky.org website, which added that "Lyrids are known to produce fireballs."
The Lyrid meteors come from Comet Thatcher, a comet discovered in 1861 that orbits the sun every 415.5 years.
In a past interview with Wicked Local, MIT planetary sciences professor Richard Binzel explained that meteor showers are "basically debris from the tails of comets."
Do you want to see the upcoming Lyrid meteor shower?
Here's what to know.
It will occur starting today, Wednesday, April 16 and will last until April 29, according to EarthSky.org which noted, "this time period is when we're passing through the meteor stream in space."
The shower will peak on April 21-22, during which stargazers will see the best show. According to EarthSky, "The best time to watch is late evening on April 21 until the moon rises a few hours before dawn on April 22. Then, after the moon rises, place yourself in the moon's shadow."
The EarthSky website explained that, "in a dark sky with no moon, you might see 10 to 15 Lyrids per hour" during the weeks that the meteor shower can be seen.
But the view can be much more impressive than that. EarthSky added that people should "watch for meteors before the fat crescent moon rises after midnight. The Lyrids are known for uncommon surges that can sometimes bring rates of up to 100 per hour."
The Lyrid meteor shower is visible in the northern hemisphere, though it can be seen in the southern hemisphere near where constellation of Lyra is visible. Your best bet for seeing it is to find dark skies away from light pollution.
More: These isolated forests in Maine are 'dark skies sanctuaries:' See where
In a past interview with Massachusetts Institute of Technology technical Instructor and observatory manager Tim Brothers, he explained that seeing meteor showers is possible with the naked eye, but with any case of stargazing, it's much better if you're using a good telescope or a pair of binoculars.
He also explained at the time that moonlight detracts from being able to see astronomical events.
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Lyrid meteor shower 2025: Here's the date for when it peaks
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