SCHERMBECK, GERMANY – APRIL 22: (BILD ZEITUNG OUT) A meteor of the lyrids in the sky is seen on April 22, 2020 in Schermbeck, Germany. (Photo by Mario Hommes/DeFodi Images via Getty Images)
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — You’ll want a literal “heads-up” for this one! The April Lyrids meteor shower peaks tonight, Wednesday, April 21 into the morning of the 22nd. While the peak is tonight, the annual meteor shower typically lasts from April 16 to April 25. At its peak, observers can usually see anywhere between 5-20 streaks per hour.
The Lyrids get their name due to their proximity to the constellation Lyra, which will rise in the northeast horizon by 10 PM. The shower’s radiant, which is where the shower will appear to originate from in the night sky, will be located just to the east of the Lyra constellation. That being said, meteor trains can and will be seen from various points in the sky.
Forecasts show that the peak of the shower will likely occur between midnight and dawn on April 22.
