The Lyrid meteor shower returns to light up the sky this month. For avid astronomers, you can catch a glimpse of the interstellar light show from April 15.
The period between January and mid-April is a pretty boring time for stargazers, as no major meteor showers can be seen over this time. Luckily, the Lyrid meteor shower ends this “meteor drought” in spectacular fashion.
The Lyrid meteor shower, named after the Lyra constellation from which they appear to emanate, appears every year from around April 15 and lasts for about 10 nights. The celestial spectacle is caused by small particles from Comet C/1861 Thatcher, which hit the Earth’s atmosphere at 50 kilometres a second.
You can catch the Lyrid meteor shower from April 15 this year and will reach its peak on April 22 and 23. The best place to view the meteor shower is somewhere away from artificial lights, between midnight and dawn. If you are heading out, make sure you adhere to social distancing regulations and make sure to be suitably prepared for cold weather.