Meteor shower to peak in UK skies tonight with shooting stars visible
Meteor shower to peak in UK skies tonight with shooting stars visible
The Lyrids can sometimes offer up to 100 meteors an hour
Stars illuminate the sky on a clear night
A spectacular meteor shower is set to peak over the skies of the UK on Monday night and Tuesday morning, with up to 100 meteors visible every hour. The Lyrid meteor shower peaks in the middle of April every year, this year falling on Monday night and Tuesday , April 21 and 22.
Until April 25, streaks across the sky will be visible for those with good weather. A meteor shower happens when tiny particles from a comet or asteroid burn up in the Earth's atmosphere. The Lyrids bring anywhere from 18 to 100 meteors at their peak.
The shower is caused by the Earth passing through the tail of Comet Thatcher, which orbits the Sun every 400 year. It was discovered by A. E. Thatcher in 1861.
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The display is named for the constellation Lyra, where the streaks appear to come from as they cross the sky. The best time to see the display will be early on Tuesday morning, before the sunrise and after the moon has set. The sun will rise at around 6.30am so heading out at around 5am, giving your eyes time to adjust, will mean the best chance of seeing a meteor.
Any time after midnight will give you a good chance of seeing the display without the light of the moon making it more difficult. You need to look towards the northeast for a good view.
The skies will be clear for much of the UK on Monday night and Tuesday morning.
Find a dark spot — Away from city lights is best. Countryside or coastal areas can be ideal.
No equipment needed — Just your eyes. Telescopes or binoculars will limit your field of view.
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Let your eyes adjust — Give it 15–30 minutes in the dark to fully adjust.
Dress warm — April nights can be chilly in the UK.
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