Enjoy the Lyrid meteor shower

By Peter Grego

21 April 2015 Peter Grego

The Lyrids radiate from a point just west of the main pattern of the constellation of Lyra, slowly gaining altitude in the east. AN graphic by Greg Smye-Rumsby.
The Lyrids radiate from a point just west of the main pattern of the constellation of Lyra, slowly gaining altitude in the east. AN graphic by Greg Smye-Rumsby.
April is, of course, eagerly anticipated for the Lyrid meteor shower. Active between 18 and 25 April, this famous shower reaches its peak on the night of 22/23 April, with a maximum at midnight. This year the cirumstances are very favourable, with the Moon a young crescent and well out of the way.

With ideal rates of around ten meteors per hour, it should be possible to observe rates of around half a dozen Lyrids per hour from a site shielded from extraneous light, especially after midnight. Lyrids are medium speed brilliant meteors, a quarter of which leave glowing trains, and good displays often feature a number of fireballs.

Inside the magazine

You can find out more about the Lyrid meteors in the April edition of Astronomy Now in addition to a full observing guide to the night sky.

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