Lyrid Meteor Shower Peaks 2024 APR 21-22

[CentaurZ]

The annual Lyrid Meteor Shower should already be underway. It is expected to peak during the night of 2024 APR 21-22. Its radiant is in the vicinity of the constellations Lyra and Hercules near the bright star Vega. That is the direction toward which the meteor tails point, but the meteors are equally likely to appear anywhere in your sky.

The Lyrids are debris from the long period Comet C/1861 G1 Thatcher.

The Lyrids typically present about 5 to 20 meteors per hour for sharp eyed observers, although this has varied considerably with 700 per hour seen in 1803. The show begins after Lyra rises, which is in the early evening for mid-latitude northern hemisphere observers, but much later in the southern hemisphere. It will continue through morning twilight.

During the shower’s peak, the waxing gibbous Moon may present some interference in the evening but less so before dawn.

Descriptions of the shower or perhaps even lucky photos would be welcome additions to this thread.

[happy-kat]

It's not looking optimistic with the Moon and clouds for me I'd have to hope for a fireball, I'll try and have a go anyway.