The Lyrid meteor shower could provide a particularly bright display this week, with darker skies helping more meteors rise overhead as the shower peaks.
NEW YORK (AP) – This year Lyrid meteor shower it’s getting a boost thanks to a waning crescent moon. Skywatchers could see 10 to 20 shooting stars per hour fly across the spring sky, according to NASA, when the fiery display peaks Tuesday night into Wednesday morning.
The show will be visible across the globe, but the views will be better in the northern hemisphere. And there’s no danger of the moon’s moon bombing the Lyrid shower photo. It will be set before the fun begins.
Meteor showers occur when Earth plows through debris trails left behind by space rocks. Those stray pieces heat up as they enter the atmosphere, producing fiery streaks also known as shooting stars.
Contrary to the name, most meteor showers are actually debris from comets. The Lyrids are the remnants of an icy ball called Comet Thatcher.
“We can only see the actual comet once every 415 years. But we pass through the grains left behind every year at the same time,” said Maria Valdes, who studies meteorites and works at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.
A handful of random meteors are visible on any given night. At predictable times throughout the year, they can be seen at once to make for a more exciting spectacle. The Lyrids are one of the oldest recorded meteor showers, with reported sightings dating back over 2,500 years.
To see the Lyrids, go outside after midnight and away from tall buildings and city lights. It will take at least 15 to 30 minutes for your eyes to adjust to the night sky, and remember to resist looking at your phone.
Bring lawn chairs or a sleeping bag and be patient until the meteors are revealed. They will appear to come from the constellation Lyra in the northeastern sky.
“A meteor looks like a trail of light in the sky. What you tend to detect is motion in the background,” said astronomer Lisa Will with San Diego City College.
The next big shower is coming up soon in early May: Eta Aquarius, debris from Halley’s Comet.
The Associated Press Department of Health and Science receives support from the Department of Science Education of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. AP is solely responsible for all content.
By ADITHI RAMAKRISHNAN AP Science Writer
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