Fri., April 22 5:51 7:29
Sat., April 23 5:50 7:30
Sun., April 24 5:48 7:31
Mon., April 25 5:47 7:32
Tues., April 26 5:45 7:33
Wed., April 27 5:44 7:34
Thurs., April 28 5:42 7:36
Fri., April 29 5:41 7:37
The Lyrid meteor shower is tonight. For those who love to sit out on a still night and watch shooting stars, tonight is the first big opportunity for the year. If the weather does not cooperate, there may be something to see tomorrow night too.
The shower is not expected to be as good as it has been in years past, due to the gibbous moon, which rises late at night and is expected to impinge on the viewing. Nevertheless, star gazers may be able to see something. The meteors will appear to radiate from the constellation Lyra, one of the smallest constellations in the night sky.
It took astronomers hundreds of years of observing to discover that the meteors are dust particles in space that don’t actually come from the constellation; it only appears that way.
In years past this shower has offered a great show, with meteors appearing to rain from the heavens. Astronomers are fairly confident that this year will not be anything like what has been seen in the past. But there is always a chance we will be surprised.