The Lyrid meteor shower will reach its peak tonight.Here's what you need to know

The Lyrid meteor shower will reach its peak this week


The Lyrid meteor shower will reach its peak this week

00:32

Astronomy fans, look up. According to NASA, the Lyrid meteor shower is expected to peak from Sunday night into Monday.

As the full moon approaches, the moon will be in its waxing quarter phase, making it difficult to see meteors. Even in ideal conditions away from city lights, only a few meteors per hour are expected to be visible to the naked eye.

“For avid observers, it may still be worthwhile to discover the Lyrid meteor shower, one of the oldest known meteor showers, having been observed for 2,700 years,” NASA writes. . post.

When and where can you see the Lyrid meteor shower?

The best time to see the meteor shower is Sunday night through Monday. EarthSky recommends viewers go to rural locations where the skies are as dark and clear as possible. Viewers are encouraged to place themselves in the shadow of the moon and admire it.

“If you can block your view of the moon, but there's still sky clear enough to see meteors, you might see the brightest star Lyra pass by in the bright moonlight.” earth sky report. “Remember, even one bright meteor can brighten your night!”

The Lyrid meteor shower is known for its spikes that can bring up to 100 meteors per hour, but because the moon is brighter this year, it's unlikely that observers will see that many meteors, according to Earth. Skye points out. In a dark sky without a moon, the viewer can see 10-15 Lyrid stars per hour.

What is a meteor shower?

Meteors, space rocks that enter Earth's atmosphere, streak across the sky every night. During meteor showers that occur several times a year, many meteors collide with the Earth's atmosphere in a short period of time. As meteors speed through Earth's atmosphere, they leave streaks of light caused by glowing hot winds.

Most meteors burn up as they fall, but some survive and reach Earth. They are thought to be meteorites.

Please look up. What else can you see in the sky this spring?

Astronomy fans might want to check out this month's pink as April's full moon rises. According to , April's full moon will reach peak brightness on Tuesday at 7:49 pm EDT, but will be visible from Monday morning until Thursday morning. NASA. For more information on the Old Farmer's Almanac, moonrise time Serves various zip codes within the United States.

The Eta Aquari meteor shower is estimated to reach its peak between Saturday, May 4th and Sunday, May 5th. NASA notes that these meteors are known for their speed. During the Eta Aquari meteor shower, there is not much moonlight interference.

May's full moon, the Flower Moon, reaches its peak illumination on May 23rd.

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The Lyrid meteor shower will reach its peak this week

The Lyrid meteor shower will reach its peak this week

00:32

Astronomy fans, look up. According to NASA, the Lyrid meteor shower is expected to peak from Sunday night into Monday.As the full moon approaches, the moon will be in its waxing quarter phase, making it difficult to see meteors. Even in ideal conditions away from city lights, only a few meteors per hour are expected to be visible to the naked eye. “For avid observers, it may still be worthwhile to discover the Lyrid meteor shower, one of the oldest known meteor showers, having been observed for 2,700 years,” NASA writes. . post.

When and where can you see the Lyrid meteor shower?The best time to see the meteor shower is Sunday night through Monday. EarthSky recommends viewers go to rural locations where the skies are as dark and clear as possible. Viewers are encouraged to place themselves in the shadow of the moon and admire it. “If you can block your view of the moon, but there's still sky clear enough to see meteors, you might see the brightest star Lyra pass by in the bright moonlight.” earth sky report. “Remember, even one bright meteor can brighten your night!”

The Lyrid meteor shower is known for its spikes that can bring up to 100 meteors per hour, but because the moon is brighter this year, it's unlikely that observers will see that many meteors, according to Earth. Skye points out. In a dark sky without a moon, the viewer can see 10-15 Lyrid stars per hour. What is a meteor shower?Meteors, space rocks that enter Earth's atmosphere, streak across the sky every night. During meteor showers that occur several times a year, many meteors collide with the Earth's atmosphere in a short period of time. As meteors speed through Earth's atmosphere, they leave streaks of light caused by glowing hot winds. Most meteors burn up as they fall, but some survive and reach Earth. They are thought to be meteorites.Please look up. What else can you see in the sky this spring?Astronomy fans might want to check out this month's pink as April's full moon rises. According to , April's full moon will reach peak brightness on Tuesday at 7:49 pm EDT, but will be visible from Monday morning until Thursday morning. NASA. For more information on the Old Farmer's Almanac, moonrise time Serves various zip codes within the United States.

The Eta Aquari meteor shower is estimated to reach its peak between Saturday, May 4th and Sunday, May 5th. NASA notes that these meteors are known for their speed. During the Eta Aquari meteor shower, there is not much moonlight interference. May's full moon, the Flower Moon, reaches its peak illumination on May 23rd.

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Aliza Chasan

Aliza Chasan is a digital producer for 60 Minutes and CBSNews.com. She has previously written for media outlets including PIX11 News, The New York Daily News, Inside Edition, and DNAinfo. Araiza covers trending news focused on crime and politics.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/lyrid-meteor-shower-peaks-tonight-april-2024/ The Lyrid meteor shower will reach its peak tonight.Here's what you need to know

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