Look up: Lyrid meteor shower gets underway mid-April

Angela Hutti/KTVI and Nexstar Media Wire

4 years ago

LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 21: (EDITORS NOTE: Multiple exposures were combined in camera to produce this image.) A meteor crosses the sky illuminated under the stars on a clear night on April 21, 2020 in London, England. The clear skies created by the New Moon coincide with the Lyrid meteor shower, an annual display caused by the Earth passing through a cloud of debris from a comet called C/186 Thatcher. (Photo by Simon Robling/Getty Images)

ST. LOUIS (KTVI) — The annual Lyrid meteor shower is getting underway.

This year, the Lyrids look to peak in the predawn hours of April 22. Generally, it’s seen from January through mid-April.

The Lyrids typically produce only 10 to 15 meteors per hour at their peak. That’s not a lot, but they often have a nice tail streak to them.

Early morning is the best time to watch, but you might be able to catch some before bed. Clouds, of course, may inhibit the view as might too much moonlight. You’ll want to get away from as many lights as possible.

When you’re outside, lie flat on your back and look up. Give yourself time for your eyes to adjust.

Lyrid meteors seem to radiate from the constellation Lyra the Harp, near the star Vega. That is where they get their name.