Lyrid meteor shower peaks this weekend: How to watch the ‘falling stars’? | World News - Hindustan Times
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Lyrid meteor shower peaks this weekend: How to watch the ‘falling stars’?

Apr 23, 2023 12:38 PM IST

The Lyrid meteor shower will be active from 16 April to 25 April, producing its peak around 23 April.

The Lyrids meteor shower, which peaks during late April, is one of the oldest known meteor showers. The Lyrids have been observed for 2,700 years. According to Nasa, the first recorded sighting of a Lyrid meteor shower goes back to 687 BC by the Chinese.

Lyrid Meteors from the Constellation Lyra. (Petr Horálek/ Nasa)
Lyrid Meteors from the Constellation Lyra. (Petr Horálek/ Nasa)

This year, these showers are active from April 15 to 29, with a peak expected between April 22-23. About 18 meteors per hour is the peak activity with a velocity of 29 miles (47 kilometers) per second.

Tips to view the astronomical delight

As per Nasa, the Lyrids are best viewed in the Northern Hemisphere during the dark hours (after moonset and before dawn).

To catch a glimpse of a ‘falling star’, find an area well away from city lights or street lights. Come prepared with a sleeping bag, blanket, or lawn chair. Lie flat on your back with your feet facing east and look up, taking in as much of the sky as possible. After about 30 minutes in the dark, your eyes will adapt and you will begin to see meteors. Be patient – the show will last until dawn, so you have plenty of time to observe.

Where do the meteors come from?

Meteors come from leftover comet particles and bits from broken asteroids. When comets come around the Sun, they leave a dusty trail behind them. Every year Earth passes through these debris trails, which allows the bits to collide with our atmosphere where they disintegrate to create fiery and colorful streaks in the sky.

Timing of the shower in New York

In The Sky reported that the activity of the annual Lyrid meteor shower will peak for viewers in New York City at around 9:00 pm EDT (0100 GMT) on April 22. From this region of the US the meteor shower will become visible at around 8:29 pm EDT (0029) each night, when the point from which its meteors appear to stream, also known as the "radiant," rises above the horizon to the northeast. The Lyrids will disappear as dawn light breaks at around 5:34 am EDT (0924 GMT).

How it watch it online?

The Virtual Telescope Project will be hosting a livestream of the Lyrid meteor shower on its website and YouTube channel beginning at 8:30 pm on April 22 (0030 GMT on April 23).

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