Lyrid meteor shower to peak on Earth Day weekend

Shooting stars will light up the sky on Saturday night as the first meteor shower in over 100 days peaks -- but cloudy weather could spoil the show for some.

The first meteor shower in over three months is about to grace the night sky, and it could be the best display of shooting stars until the dog days of summer are over.

Weekend stargazers will be treated to the annual Lyrids, a fitting conclusion to Earth Day, on the night of Saturday, April 22, into the early morning of Sunday, April 23. It will end a meteor shower drought that started over 100 days earlier once the Quadrantids concluded on Jan. 3.

"When compared to the normal low activity seen during the late winter and early spring nights, the nights around April 23 offer a nice bit of entertainment," the American Meteor Society (AMS) explained on its website.

This year's installment of the Lyrids will be the best in three years, as the moon will not interfere with viewing conditions. In 2021 and 2022, bright moonlight outshined the annual springtime sky event, washing out all but the brightest meteors. This year, the shower will reach its climax two nights after a new moon, resulting in a dark, moonless night for the event.

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The show will begin around 10 p.m., local time, Saturday night, and will showcase up to 15 shooting stars per hour from dark areas through early Sunday morning. Onlookers in areas with human-made light pollution may only be able to spot a few meteors per hour.

"Serious observers should watch for at least an hour, as numerous peaks and valleys of activity will occur," the AMS explained. "If you only view for a short time it may coincide with a lull of activity. Watching for at least an hour guarantees you will get to see the best this display has to offer."

For the best chance at seeing shooting stars, experts recommend going to a location where there is a wide view of the night sky, including an unobstructed view of the northeastern sky where the meteors appear to originate. Folks do not need to focus solely on this region to see the shower, but having the radiant point somewhere in the field of view will help bolster the chances of spotting meteors.

Much of the United States is predicted to have fair to good weather conditions for the peak of the Lyrids, including most of the northern and central Plains, parts of the Rocky Mountains and a good portion of the Southwest. The only area of the western U.S. where the weather will be of concern is across parts of Washington, Oregon and Idaho.

Clouds will be a widespread disruption for most of the Midwest and East Coast as a far-reaching storm tracks over the regions. However, there should be enough breaks in the clouds over most of the Southeast for onlookers to spot some shooting stars, even if conditions aren't fully ideal.

The Lyrids will continue into Sunday night, giving stargazers with poor weather conditions Saturday night another opportunity to spot some meteors. However, the hourly rates may be cut in half compared to the 15 meteors per hour expected earlier in the weekend.

The Eta Aquarid meteor shower will follow the Lyrids on the night of Friday, May 5, into the morning of Saturday, May 6, although it will be more difficult to watch. Unlike the Lyrids, the Eta Aquarids will peak on the same night as a full moon, with the blazing moonlight outshining many of the meteors.

July will feature a pair of minor meteor showers that will supply an extra sparkle to the summer sky. However, the duo will pale in comparison to the highly anticipated Perseid meteor shower in mid-August that boasts up to 100 shooting stars per hour.

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