There will be an iconic meteor shower — the Lyrid meteor shower — happening this week in the United States between April 15 and April 29, with its peak on April 23, according to NASA.
Some of its heaviest showers occurred in Virginia in 1803, Greece in 1922, Japan in 1945 and the United States in 1982, with almost 100 meteors per hour.
What’s the Lyrid meteor shower?
Named after the constellation Lyra, the Lyrid meteor shower is one of the oldest known meteor showers, per NASA. The Lyrid meteor shower originates from the Comet Thatcher.
According to NASA, as Comet Thatcher orbits around the sun, it leaves behind a debris trail and Earth goes through this debris trail every April, which creates the Lyrid meteor shower.
The first time the Lyrid meteor shower was seen was in ancient China in 687 B.C. and has since been watched for at least 2,700 years, according to Smithsonian Magazine. The Lyrid meteor shower normally produces 10 to 20 meteors an hour during its peak time period, but there have been records of it having up to 100 meteors per hour.
Where will the Lyrid meteor shower be visible?
According to NASA, the Lyrid meteor shower is best seen from the Northern Hemisphere during the night, up until dawn.
To see it best, NASA advices that you leave city lights and bring a sleeping bag or chair that allows you to look up at the sky. Your feet should face east and once your eyes have adjusted to the dark (it takes about 30 minutes for them to adjust), you should be able to see the meteor shower.
An issue you may face this year while watching the Lyrid meteor shower is the Pink Moon, according to Smithsonian Magazine. This full moon could cause unnecessary brightness in the night sky and may make it harder to see the meteor shower during its peak.
Avoid using your cell phone during the meteor shower and go to places such as a certified Dark Sky Place. You don’t have to look at the Lyra Constellation to see the meteor shower — it will show up across the whole sky.