This means our ancestors have been marveling at this particular meteor shower for 2,700 years, making the Lyrids one of the oldest known meteor showers. The first recorded sighting of this meteor shower dates back to China in 687 BC, according to NASA (opens in new tab). Humanity has been aware of the Lyrids for way longer than it has known of their parent comet, however. Thatcher, and last made a close approach to the sun, or perihelion, in the same year. The debris that creates the Lyrids meteor shower is created by comet C/1861 G1 Thatcher, which takes 415 Earth years to orbit the sun. When Earth passes through that debris, it enters our planet's atmosphere at speeds as great as 29 miles (47 kilometers) per second. This not only creates the distinctive tails of comets and a characteristic glow called the coma around them, but it also leaves debris around the sun. Like all meteor showers, the Lyrids are caused when Earth passes through a patch of dusty debris left behind by a comet or an asteroid as it orbits the sun.Īs comets approach the sun, solid ice is transformed straight into gas, a process called sublimation, and this causes material to be blown from the comets' main bodies. After observing dark skies for around 30 minutes allowing your eyes to adjust to the dark, NASA says you should be able to start seeing meteors with your unaided eye, but patience is required. ![]() NASA suggests that to increase the chances of spotting the Lyrids, amateur astronomers should head well away from city or street lights, equipped with a sleeping bag, blanket, or lawn chair. (Image credit: Chris Vaughan Starry Night) Of course, reality is rarely "ideal" so realistic meteor hunters should expect to see less than this, but should still watch out for the occasional bright fireball flash from the Lyrids.Īn illustration of the night sky on Apshowing the Lyrid meteor shower originating from the Lyra constellation near the star Vega. NASA points out (opens in new tab), however, that while the meteors of the Lyrids aren't as plentiful as say those of August's Perseids, this celestial April shower is known for fast and bright meteors.Īt peak activity and in ideal viewing conditions like dark skies and clear weather, skywatchers could expect to see around 18 meteors per hour from the Lyrids. The Lyrids, which occur around April each year, aren't the most active of the meteor showers experienced over Earth each year as our planet makes its annual passage around the sun. This is because at these times meteors are entering Earth's atmosphere at shallower angles and can thus traverse more of the sky over our planet before burning up. Longer trails from Lyrid meteors can be seen at other times when, though fewer meteors burn up in the sky, these fireballs travel further across the sky creating longer streaks of light. This increases the number of Lyrid meteors that pass vertically down into Earth's atmosphere thus creating short trails of light never the radiant. EDT (0900 GMT) the radiant is at its highest, and New York is turned optimally to the direction from which the meteors appear to streak. The number of Lyrid meteors that are observable increases as the radiant (the point from which the shower appears to originate), located in the Lyra constellation near the star Vega, rises higher above the horizon. ![]() Looking for a telescope to observe the Lyrids or anything else in the sky? We recommend the Celestron Astro Fi 102 (opens in new tab) as the top pick in our best beginner's telescope guide.
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