The Lyrid meteor shower peaks on Monday, April 21, and is expected to be visible from April 21-22. One of the oldest astronomical events in human history, the Lyrid meteor shower, will be active through Monday and Tuesday. Sky gazers can expect a shower of 18 meteors per hour, including the occasional “fireball.” The fireballs are breathtaking and very bright meteors whose trail glows for a longer period.
This news article from The CEO Views gives you the most recent updates on the Lyrid meteor shower, which peaked on Monday, April 21.
More About the Lyrid Meteor Shower 2025
The meteor shower runs from April 17-26, but it peaked on Monday night, April 21, through Tuesday, April 22. According to the American Meteor Society, the peak is expected to occur around 13:00 UTC on April 22, i.e., 08.00 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time. According to Space.com, the best time to witness the show is during the early morning hours of April 22, which is the peak of the meteor shower. The appropriate time is between 3:00 a.m. to 5:00 a.m. One can enjoy the best of this shower somewhere away from the city lights, with an expansive view of the sky.
The Lyrid Meteor shower, which peaks around April 21-22, can be viewed at Lowell Observatory, located on Mars Hill, offering optimal viewing conditions due to its dark sky location. With the Lowell Telescope, the view of the occasional fireballs is expected to be breathtaking, along with the meteor shower as a whole.
Lyrid Meteor Shower
One of the most ancient, recorded meteor showers, with a history dating back to more than 2,700 years. Formed by fragments of Comet Thatcher (C/1861 G1), the Lyrid meteor shower takes 415 years to orbit the Sun. The pieces of the comet burn up in our atmosphere and take a shooting-star appearance as Earth travels through the comet’s trail. Although it may not be the most prolific meteor shower of the year, they have a spectacular view.
Though the fireballs may seem to have come from the constellation Lyra in the eastern sky, they can appear anywhere. Lyra is rising in the northeastern sky at night, and the higher it goes, the greater the chance of having a better display.
Uniqueness of the Lyrid Meteor Shower
Dr. Nick Moskovitz, an astronomer at Lowell Observatory, recalls a story from a decade ago when meteor levels suddenly surged at more than 100 per hour, marking their surprising outbursts. Although Lyrids are usually consistent in their activity, they often surprise us with their unexpected outbursts of up to 100 meteors per hour.
Such meteor storms are rare and unpredictable. However, spectators can expect to enjoy such a spectacular storm around 2042.
The Thatcher Comet, from which the Lyrid meteor is produced, takes 422 years to orbit the sun. It is predicted not to return until 2283. “It’s an obscure comet that nobody really knows much about because it spends most of its time far away, where we can’t even see it with even our most powerful telescopes,” shared Dr. Nick Moskovitz at Lowell Observatory.
What does the Weather say?
As the Lyrid meteor shower is all set to peak on April 22, let us see whether the weather will permit a spectacular view or spoil the show. As per AccuWeather, the cloud cover over the eastern half of North America threatens to spoil the view of the Lyrid meteor shower. As per USA Today, weather disturbances can make parts of the north-central US cloudy.
On the other hand, the West Coast, the Southwest US, and Texas are expected to have clearer skies. A portion of the Midwest, particularly west and south of Chicago, will likely have good visibility, making the Lyrid shower a visual treat for skygazers. Even though the meteors have a low hourly rate of 10-20 meteors, the Lyrids are known for their occasional fireballs, bright meteors with glowing tails.
