Lyrid meteor shower peaks tonight
A layered image of Perseid meteors on August 13, 2010. (Photo: Dominic Alves via Flickr)
It’s once again time for the peak of the Lyrid meteor shower.
The celestial show will dazzle night owl sky gazers, but unlike the prolific Perseids in August, patience is a prerequisite for anyone who seeks to watch.
“The anticipated peak rate is about 20 meteors/hour, but the waning gibbous moon will block less-bright meteors from view. Best viewing will be midnight until dawn on the morning of April 22, provided you have clear, dark skies away from city lights,” a NASA briefing advises.
The National Weather Service forecasts partly cloudy skies and temperatures in the low to mid 40s in the New Jersey region overnight.
Weather permitting, NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, AL will stream the show beginning at 8:30 p.m. EDT.
With records dating back to around 2,700 years, the Lyrid is among the oldest of known meteor showers, according to Earthsky.org.
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