Meteor Showers
Lyrids
Next peak: April 22, 2027 · 18/hr
PeakApril 22, 2027
ActiveApril 16 – April 25
Rate (ZHR)18/hr
Speed49 km/s
RadiantLyra
Parent bodyComet Thatcher (C/1861 G1)
Moon at peak94% · Waning Gibbous
The Moon will be Waning Gibbous (94% lit) near the peak, which will wash out fainter meteors.
About the Lyrids
One of the oldest recorded showers — watched for over 2,700 years — with occasional bright outbursts.
How to watch a meteor shower
Get away from city lights, let your eyes adapt for 20 minutes, and lie back so you can take in as much sky as possible. You don't need a telescope — meteors appear all over the sky. The best hours are usually after midnight, when your side of the Earth turns into the debris stream.
The single biggest factor after darkness is the Moon: a bright moon near the peak drowns out all but the brightest meteors. Check the moon phase for the peak night and, if it's bright, watch before moonrise or after moonset.