Meteor shower
Lyrids
Spring's first major shower, radiating from near brilliant Vega.
Next peak Thursday, April 22, 2027
T-00:00:00:00DHMS
Peak rate
~18 meteors/hr at peak
Active
15 Apr – 29 Apr
Radiant
Lyra
Speed
49 km/s
Parent body
Comet C/1861 G1 (Thatcher)
Moon at peak
Peak-night moon 97% lit — washes out fainter meteors
About the Lyrids
The Lyrids break the long lull between January's Quadrantids and the showers of late spring. Rates are modest — around 18 an hour at best — but the shower is reliable and occasionally surprises observers with brief outbursts of up to 100 per hour.
Meteors appear to radiate from near Vega, one of the brightest stars in the sky. The parent comet, Thatcher, last passed the Sun in 1861 and won't return for more than four centuries, yet its debris trail still lights up our skies every April.
How to watch
- The radiant rises late evening and climbs through the night — after midnight is best.
- A dark site well away from town lights makes a big difference at these moderate rates.