Lyrid meteor shower timing
The Lyrid meteor shower runs April 16–30 this year with its overnight peak expected April 21 into April 22, and viewing conditions should be favorable because the waxing crescent Moon will be mostly out of the way. BBC Weather and Universe Today both flagged 2026 as a good year to watch, and local events — like a free telescopic astronomy night at 9 p.m. Tuesday in Thompson Park — are being organized around the peak. The shower is caused by Earth passing through Comet Thatcher’s dust trail ( ).
The Lyrid meteor shower will be easiest to watch overnight on April 21 into April 22, when darker skies should leave more meteors visible. (bbc.com) The shower is active from mid-to-late April, with sources including Universe Today and the Denver Astronomical Society listing April 14 or 15 through April 30 or 29 as the main window. Both place the strongest activity on the night of Monday, April 21, into early Tuesday, April 22. (universetoday.com; denverastro.org) Meteor showers happen when Earth moves through a stream of debris, and the Lyrids come from dust left behind by Comet C/1861 G1 Thatcher. Those grains hit Earth’s atmosphere at high speed and burn up as brief streaks of light. (spaceandtelescope.com) This year’s viewing setup is better than it is in many Aprils because the Moon will be a waxing crescent and will set before the best pre-dawn hours. EarthSky says the sky should be dark and moonless after midnight and before dawn on April 22. (earthsky.org) Under dark skies, the Lyrids usually produce about 18 to 20 meteors an hour at peak, though actual counts are often lower for people watching from cities or under clouds. The shower is also known for occasional bright fireballs. (universetoday.com; timeanddate.com) The meteors appear to radiate from the constellation Lyra, near the bright star Vega, but they can flash across any part of the sky. EarthSky says Vega rises in the northeast around 9 to 10 p.m. local time in April, with the radiant highest near dawn. (earthsky.org) The Lyrids are one of the oldest recorded meteor showers, with observations dating back more than 2,700 years and Chinese records going to 687 Before Christ. That history is one reason the shower returns to astronomy calendars every April even though it is smaller than the Perseids in August. (spaceandtelescope.com) Local groups are planning public viewing around the peak, including a free telescopic astronomy night at 9 p.m. Tuesday in Thompson Park that WBIW highlighted this week. For most viewers, the simplest plan is still the same: get away from city lights, let your eyes adjust, and look up after midnight on April 22. (wbiw.com; bbc.com)
