A Spring Sky Spectacle
The first major meteor shower of spring in the Northern Hemisphere, the Lyrids, will reach its peak overnight from Monday, April 21 to Tuesday, April 22.
Best Time to Watch
According to the American Meteor Society, the best time to catch the show will be shortly after nightfall. While the Lyrids will peak during daylight hours in North America, a waning crescent moon won’t rise until after midnight, leaving the early nighttime sky dark and favorable for meteor spotting.
Look Toward Lyra
Though meteors can streak across any part of the sky, they appear to originate from the constellation Lyra — home to the bright star Vega — which rises in the east after sunset.
Photographing the Lyrids
Lyrids will be active from April 16 to 25. They are known for producing occasional fireballs — exceptionally bright meteors. Making them a great subject for night sky photography. To capture them:
- Use a tripod-mounted manual camera
- Select a low f-stop and an ISO between 800 and 3200 (ISO 1600 is a good starting point)
- Take 20 to 30-second exposures
- Set your camera to shoot continuously
With some patience and luck, your camera may capture a meteor blazing through Earth’s atmosphere.
Up Next: The Eta Aquarids
As the Lyrids fade, the Eta Aquarid meteor shower will begin to build. Active from April 19 to May 28 and peaking on May 4-5, this shower is best viewed from the Southern Hemisphere. Originating from Halley’s Comet, the Eta Aquarids can produce up to 60 meteors per hour in southern skies and around 30 per hour in the Northern Hemisphere.
