Elijah Williams
Look up, astronomy fans: The Lyrid meteor shower is scheduled to peak overnight Sunday into Monday, according to NASA.
The moon will be in its crescent stage as the full moon approaches, which will make it difficult to see meteors. Even in ideal conditions, away from city lights, only a few meteors per hour are expected to be visible to the naked eye.
“For a dedicated observer, members of one of the oldest known meteor showers may still be worth observing — the Lyrids were observed 2,700 years ago,” NASA wrote in a statement. publish.
When and where to see the Lyrid meteor shower
The best time to see the meteor shower is during the night from Sunday to Monday. EarthSky recommends that viewers go to locations where the sky is as dark and bright as possible. Viewers should try to place themselves in the shadow of the moon to watch.
“If you can block the view of the moon but still have some sky left to see meteors, you might be able to see some of the brightest Lyrids passing by in the bright moonlight,” Earthly Heaven reported. “Remember, even a bright meteor can brighten your night!”
The Lyrids are known for waves that can bring up to 100 meteors per hour, but viewers are unlikely to see that many this year because of the bright moon, notes EarthSky. Viewers can see 10 to 15 Lyrids per hour in a dark, moonless sky.
What are meteor showers?
Meteors – space rocks that enter Earth’s atmosphere – streak across the sky every night. During meteor showers, which happen several times a year, many meteors hit Earth’s atmosphere over a short period of time. As meteors pass through Earth’s atmosphere, they leave trails of light caused by the hot, glowing air.
Although most meteors burn up when they fall, some survive the trip and reach Earth. These are considered meteorites.
Look up – what else can you see in the sky this spring?
Astronomy fans can check out the Pink Moon this month as April’s full moon rises. April’s full moon will reach peak illumination at 7:49 p.m. EDT Tuesday, but will appear full Monday morning through Thursday morning, according to NASA. Specific details from the Old Farmer’s Almanac moonrise times for different zip codes in the United States.
The Eta Aquariids meteor shower is estimated to peak on Saturday, May 4th through Sunday, May 5th. NASA notes that these meteors are known for their speed. There won’t be much moonlight interference during the Eta Aquariids meteor shower.
May’s full moon, the Flower Moon, reaches peak illumination on May 23.
