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There is no better way to ring-in Earth Day early Tuesday morning than to enjoy one of Earth’s oldest known meteor showers, the Lyrid Meteor Shower. The Lyrids generally begin on April 16 and end on April 26, with the maximum number of meteors generally occurring tonight. At maximum, hourly rates can reach about 10 to 20 meteors per hour.
About the Meteor Shower
The Lyrids, which peak during late April, are one of the oldest known meteor showers: Lyrids have been observed for 2,700 years. (The first recorded sighting of a Lyrid meteor shower goes back to 687 BC by the Chinese.)
The Lyrids are known for their fast and bright meteors, though not as fast or as plentiful as the famous Perseids in August, Lyrids can surprise watchers with as many as 100 meteors seen per hour. Sightings of these heavier showers occurred in 1803 (Virginia), 1922 (Greece), 1945 (Japan), and 1982 (U.S.). In general, 10-20 Lyrid meteors can be seen per hour during their peak.
Lyrids frequently leave glowing dust trains behind them as they streak through the Earth’s atmosphere. These trains can be observable for several seconds.
Agencies/Canadajournal
