THE LYRIDS METEOR SHOWER

This year, the Lyrids meteor shower will have dark skies due to no Moon in the sky.

The Lyrids Meteor Shower will peak on April 21st into the morning of April 22nd and will be viewable in both hemispheres. We can expect 10-20 meteors per hour, although history has shown on rare occasions the expected number can be exceeded, so fingers crossed!

To locate the radiant point (best viewable spot) of the Lyrid Meteor Shower look North East and identify the bright stars Deneb and Vega in the sky, look right from Vega and with luck, you will see the trails of Meteors as they aerodynamically heat up at speeds of 25,000mph (11km/sec) - 160,000mph (72km/sec)!

The Meteor shower occurs yearly due to debris that has been left in direct line of Earth’s orbit from the comet Thatcher, which takes 415 years to orbit the Sun. Thatcher will be viewable from Earth in the year 2276.

To observe this event in all its beauty try to move away from light polluted areas such as cities and towns. Ensure to wrap up warm and have a nice thick blanket with a pillow/cushion and lay down on the ground or car, preferably with a love one or friends and enjoy the show with a beer or hot beverage!