Dazzling Lyrid Meteor Rain starts tomorrow. Here’s how to watch it

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NASA expects to see between 10 and 20 meteors per hour during the peak of the Lyrid meteor shower that happens tomorrow. The Lyrid meteor shower is the first spring and will reach its peak in the early hours of tomorrow morning, according to NASA, reported by BusinessInsider. The Lyrid meteor shower occurs in the last days of April each year, as the Earth passes through the dusty path behind Comet C / 1861 G1 Thatcher, also known as Comet Thatcher.As for the best way to view this shower, NASA says in its blog post about the shower that “it is best seen in the northern hemisphere during dark hours (after sunset and before dawn)” and that those interested parties should “find an area away from city or street lights. “Come prepared with a sleeping bag, a blanket or a lawn chair,” the blog post reads. “Sit flat on your back, with your feet facing east and looking up, taking as much of the sky as possible. After about 30 minutes in the dark, your eyes will adjust and you will start to see meteors. Be patient – the show will last until dawn, so you have plenty of time to take a look. “

NASA says that Lyrids “frequently leave glowing dust trains behind them as they pass through the Earth’s atmosphere” and that these trains remain observable for a few seconds.

Superb photos of Earth from space

According to BusinessInsider, viewers should wait until the “rising moon”, which will occur around 4 am EST in the US, as this will make it easier to see meteors and their tails in the sky. Meteors are best viewed in the northern hemisphere, according to NASA, but BusinessInsider reports that those who need a reference point to look for should look for “the Lyra-like constellation, like a harp, from which lyres often appear.

This comet was discovered in 1861, according to NASA, and the pieces of space debris in the comet that interact with the Earth’s atmosphere are responsible for the Lyrid meteor shower that occurs tomorrow. This rain is one of the oldest known meteor showers, according to NASA, as observed for 2700 years, the first recorded observation taking place in China in 687 BC.

“Lyrids are known for their fast, bright meteors, though not as fast or as abundant as the famous August Perseids,” the NASA blog post reads. “Lyrids can surprise viewers with up to 100 meteors seen per hour. The observation of these heavier showers occurred in 1803 (Virginia), 1922 (Greece), 1945 (Japan) and 1982 (United States). In general, 10-20 lyrical meteors can be seen per hour during their gaze. “For more science from IGN, check out this story about how NASA named a few new constellations after the Hulk, Thor’s Hammer, Godzilla, Doctor Who and more. Read this story about possible signs of life detected on Venus since 1978 and then check out this story about how the possible future Earth could be a two-sun planet like Tatooine.

Wesley LeBlanc is a freelance news writer, guide producer and scientific guru for IGN. You can follow him further Twitter @LeBlancWes.

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