Lyrid meteor peak tonight

The Lyrid meteor shower reaches its 2026 peak overnight, with the best viewing window in the United States running after midnight and before dawn on Wednesday, April 22. (earthsky.org) EarthSky puts the predicted peak at 19:15 Coordinated Universal Time on April 22, which falls in daylight across the Americas, so skywatchers here are expected to get their best look in the pre-dawn hours instead of at the exact peak minute. The American Meteor Society lists the maximum near 20 Universal Time on April 22 and says the strongest activity is centered on the night of April 21-22. (earthsky.org, amsmeteors.org) The shower is expected to produce about 10 to 15 meteors an hour under dark skies, according to EarthSky, while the American Meteor Society lists a zenithal hourly rate of 18 and AccuWeather says viewers could see 15 to 20 per hour. Those higher counts assume ideal darkness and the radiant high in the sky. (earthsky.org, amsmeteors.org, accuweather.com) A meteor shower happens when Earth crosses a stream of dust and rock left behind by a comet, and those bits burn up as they hit the atmosphere. The Lyrids come from debris shed by Comet C/1861 G1 Thatcher, and the streaks appear to radiate from the constellation Lyra near the bright star Vega. (amsmeteors.org, timeanddate.com) This year’s setup is favorable because the moon is only about 27% illuminated and sets before the radiant climbs high enough for the best viewing. The American Meteor Society says lunar interference will be minimal in 2026, and EarthSky says the peak morning should be dark and moonless. (amsmeteors.org, earthsky.org) The Lyrids are one of the oldest recorded meteor showers, with observations in Chinese records going back more than 2,500 years, and EarthSky says the record stretches to 687 B.C. The shower is seen every April and tends to favor the Northern Hemisphere because its radiant stands higher before dawn there. (timeanddate.com, earthsky.org, amsmeteors.org) Forecasters say weather should cooperate in large parts of the United States. AccuWeather expects the clearest skies from the Southwest through the Plains into the Midwest, with at least some breaks across much of the East, while thicker clouds may limit viewing in the Northeast, Gulf Coast, and much of the Northwest. (accuweather.com) No telescope is needed. Timeanddate.com says a dark spot away from city lights, 15 to 20 minutes for your eyes to adjust, and a wide view of the sky give you the best chance of catching the brief streaks before dawn. (timeanddate.com) If clouds hold off, the next few hours are the shot: the Lyrids’ peak is brief, and both EarthSky and the American Meteor Society say the strongest activity is concentrated around this one overnight window. (earthsky.org, amsmeteors.org)