The star gauges will be treated with a new celestial event, as the Lyridi meteor shower will illuminate the sky on Friday night and Saturday morning. Starting on April 15, the meteor shower will continue until April 29, but will reach its peak on April 22 and viewers can spot up to 20 meteors every hour. It is worth noting, however, that the Moon may reduce the visibility of the meteor shower, as tonight will be two-thirds full.
Meteor shower Lyridi: history
Meteor showers usually occur when the Earth collides with a cloud of debris from broken asteroids. Every year our planet orbits these clouds of debris, which leads to the interaction of the pieces with the Earth’s atmosphere. When debris collides with the atmosphere, it disintegrates, creating fiery and colorful streaks of light in the sky.
As for the Lyrids, they are the remains of comet C / 1861 G1 or “Thatcher”, named after its discoverer A. E. Thatcher, who first noticed it on April 5, 1861. The Lyrids have been observed for 2700 years as the first recorded dates of observation back to 687 BC by the Chinese. Although lirides are not known to be abundant, they are fast and bright meteors and can even surprise with up to 100 meteors per hour. According to astronomers, the Lyrid meteors have an orbital period of 415 years and they will return to the inner solar system in 2276.
Where and when to watch the celestial event?
According to NASA, the Lyrids will be best seen during the dark hours in the northern hemisphere, which means that observers of Indian stars can also spot them. The celestial event is expected to peak after 20 hours (IST), although visibility will depend on the brightness of the moon. Light pollution due to artificial light is also a huge factor that can obstruct the view. Viewers are advised to find a dark place without artificial light to compensate for the moonlight. NASA also advises leaving 30 minutes for your eyes to adjust to the darkness, which would make sightseeing even more convenient.
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