How to see a fireball tonight during the lyrid meteor shower

The first significant meteor shower of the year, the Lyrid meteor shower, is expected to delight us all with some fireworks tonight (if you’re lucky).

Unfortunately, this year’s meteor shower conditions are unfavorable due to a nearly full Moon during its peak. But while the Perseid meteor shower, which occurs from mid-July to mid-August, is the most prolific source of fireballs, there is also a tantalizing chance of seeing them during the Lyrids.

Given that observations of it go back at least 2,700 years, it is among the oldest known meteor showers. When the Lyrids suddenly erupted in activity in 687 BC, Chinese astronomers were the first to record them. Nevertheless, it wasn’t until the 19th century—when additional eruptions transpired in 1803 and 1833—that systematic investigations of the meteor shower started.

So what is causing this meteor shower, how can you get the best chance of seeing a Lyrid, and which way should you look to spot one?

Should the current circumstances prove to be excessively challenging, consider consulting our astrophotography guide to acquire the skills necessary to capture the most stunning images of the Moon.

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When will the 2024 Lyrid meteor shower occur?

The Lyrid meteor shower is most visible during its peak on Monday night (April 22, 23rd, 2024) in the US and the UK. The almost-full Moon, which is bright and visible above the horizon for the majority of the night, is occurring at the same time as the full pink Moon, which occurs the night after on April 23–24. The hours just before dawn are ideal for seeing the Lyrids.

Starting on April 14, 2024, and lasting until April 30, is the shower. It’s an annual shower that takes place on roughly the same dates.

Where to search for Lyrids.

The constellation Lyra the Lyre contains the radiant for the Lyrids, or the spot in the sky where meteors appear to come from.

During the shower’s peak, as the night wears on, the radiant for the Lyrids will rise higher. We have a better chance of seeing shooting stars and a lower chance of them disappearing below the horizon the higher the radiant.

Aim slightly away from the radiant and about two-thirds up the sky (at a height of about 60 degrees). When viewed from a 90-degree angle, meteor trails appear longer and are therefore easier to see. Aim to keep as much of the sky as possible in your field of vision.

Constellation Lyra is one of the smallest, located between the Summer Triangle and Hercules. Luckily, it’s also one of the most noticeable since it creates a clear parallelogram and has Vega, the fifth-brightest star in the night sky, which is a brilliant white star.

One excellent method to assist you in finding Lyra is to star-hop.

Start by locating the asterism that makes up the Summer Triangle. Lyra is a well-known constellation within it. Three bright stars, Vega (in Lyra), Altair (in Aquila the Eagle), and Deneb (in Cygnus the Swan), form the Summer Triangle. When the sun sets in April, keep an eye out for these three stars, which should be visible in the east.

Locate Vega: The brightest star in Lyra, Vega is a crucial landmark for assisting with constellation identification. Being a bright, bluish-white star, it is simple to identify.

Follow Lyra’s Shape: After locating Vega, locate the characteristic parallelogram shape that makes up Lyra’s main body. Vega denotes one of the form’s corners. From there, you can see the remainder of the constellation’s outline with a little creativity. Lyra has the appearance of a miniature harp or lyre.

If everything else fails, use the red-light filter on your phone and download an astronomy app to see what’s what.

In what way will the Lyrids be visible?

On April 22–23, when the meteor shower peaks, the Moon will be approximately 99% illuminated. Additionally, it will spend the majority of the night above the horizon. It’s a challenging year because the full Moon (the April Pink Moon) falls on the night of April 23–24.

Only the brightest meteors, planets, stars, and constellations will be visible at full moon, which illuminates the sky to 99 percent. Furthermore impeding the situation is its ability to cast a glow, known as a “moon glare,” across the whole sky.

Next is the impact on the dark adaptation of our eyes. It is always advised that you give your eyes ten to twenty minutes to adjust to the darkness. If not, it can be discouraging to emerge from a well-lit room and find yourself unable to see anything. Meteors can be even harder to spot because of the almost full Moon’s bright light, which can slow down and interfere with our accumulated dark vision.

It is not to say, however, that the Lyrids of this year are peaking in unfeasible conditions. There is still a chance that we will be able to see some of the brighter meteors, which may include fireballs.

In reality, how many meteors will be visible to us?

We can expect to see about 18 meteors per hour under ideal circumstances, which include dark skies, a radiant high overhead, and perfect conditions. Annually, the quantity of meteors that can be seen varies; on average, 10 to 20 meteors are visible. It will be significantly less this year, though, because of that annoying moon.

According to Dr. Darren Baskill, an astrophysicist from the University of Sussex, “we may only spot 3 or 4 meteors every hour this year due to the bright Full Moon occurring within a day of the peak of this meteor shower.” Very few meteors will be bright enough to outshine the glare of the Moon.

“Once the Moon sets in mid-August, the Perseid meteor shower is the best of this year. Afterwards, we could witness as many as one meteor per minute from the world’s darkest locations, and every five minutes from towns and cities.”.

The Lyrid meteor shower: why does it happen?

When Earth passes through an asteroid or comet’s debris field, meteor showers occur.

The debris is in the same orbit around the Sun as the Earth is. And the tiny dust and particle particles burn up in Earth’s atmosphere when Earth’s orbit crosses over with this debris field. This results in the brilliant light streaks that humans perceive as meteors, or shooting stars.

The majority of particles that cause meteors are about the size of a grain of sand; larger pieces cause fireballs.

When a meteor shower is said to be “peaking,” it means that more meteors are visible as we pass through the densest portion, or “core,” of the debris stream.

Bright, swift meteors are the hallmark of the Lyrids. Additionally, they frequently leave enduring traces in the sky, which is helpful when battling the Moon’s interference.

The comet C/1861 G1 Thatcher is the parent body of the Lyrids. One orbit of the Sun occurs every 415,5 years for this long-period comet. Approximately in the year 2276 is when it is expected to return to our neighborhood, having last reached perihelion, or closest approach to the Sun, in 1861.

Lyrid meteor shower: Guide to viewing.

If you’re determined to give it a shot, there are a few things you can do to increase your chances:.

Reduce light pollution by looking for a place that is away from bright lights. Avert your direct line of sight from any lights that are unavoidable.

Permit night vision to develop: Despite the Moon’s interference, let your eyes acclimate to the darkness as best they can. You will begin to notice more details in your surroundings after spending about twenty minutes outside.

A location where the Moon is hidden by trees or structures is ideal if you can avoid staring at it.

Look for meteor trains; these can help you catch a better glimpse of the elusive visitors because they can stay in the sky for a few seconds after the original meteor.

Put on a red-light filter: If you must look at anything, including books or your phone, put on a red-light filter. Your cumulative night vision will be preserved if you do this.

Watch out for fireballs: During the Lyrid meteor shower, there’s a chance that we could see some fireballs, despite their rarity. These can be captured on video doorbell cameras or are frequently observed over a large area by numerous people.

About our specialist.

Dr. Darren Baskill works as an outreach coordinator and lecturer at the University of Sussex’s Department of Physics and Astronomy. At the Royal Observatory Greenwich, where he previously gave lectures, he also started the yearly Astronomy Photographer of the Year contest.

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