Contributor: CEAshby
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The Lyrid meteor shower, a bright and fast meteor shower, is expected to peak this weekend. The Lyrids have lit up the sky for the past 2,700 years and potentially dozens of meteors could be seen per hour.
The shower comes each April and the best time to watch this year will be between April 21 to 23. The peak is expected at 1:06 UTC on April 23 — or 9:06 p.m. EDT Saturday, April 22 — according to EarthSky.
This year, there won’t be a full moon, and with the sky dark enough, stargazers may be able to see 10 to 15 Lyrids per hour. Sometimes they have surges that produce up to 100 per hour.
Those who want to see the meteor shower won’t see long trails streaking through the sky. Instead, Lyrids may look like fireballs, according to NASA.
The best time to view the Lyrids is in the Northern Hemisphere after moonset but before sunrise in an dark area without streetlights, NASA advises. Lying flat on the ground to view as much of the sky as possible will give you the best chance to see the shower, which should last until dawn.
The shower is named after where they originate from: the Lyra constellation. This is the shower’s radiant point, and NASA says you shouldn’t look directly at this part of the sky to see the best view of the Lyrids. Instead, they will appear longer if you look away from the radiant point.
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