On April 22, the peak of the Lyrid meteor shower will be observed. It is generally visible every night from April 14 through April 30, but this night the number of “shooting stars” that can be seen in the sky will be at its maximum.
Lyrids
Lyrid is a meteor shower that has been known to humans for almost the longest time in history. Mentions of it are present in the Chinese chronicles of the 7th century BC. You can read more about it in this article. In short, we can say that it got its name from the constellation Lyra.
The radiant of the meteor shower, that is, the area in the sky from which they fly out, is actually 10° from the brightest star in this constellation, Vega. In fact, it is on the border between Lyra and Hercules.
Observation conditions
Each year the maximum of the Lyrids occurs at a slightly different time. In 2025, it will occur at approximately 13:30 GMT. At this point it will be at 04:30 p.m. in Ukraine, so it will be impossible to see anything in the sky. For observing, it’s best to wait until at least 9 p.m. and get out somewhere where the extra light doesn’t interfere and the northern horizon is clear.
In London, it will be 02:30 p.m. at the time of the Lyrid peak. Therefore, it is also better to wait for darkness here. On the east coast of the United States, on the other hand, it will be 7:30 at this time. Therefore, it is better to observe Lyrids before dawn, when their radiant will be high in the zenith.
