Lyrid Meteor Shower Peaks This Weekend
Utah Skies Astronomy Resource | The Amateur Astronomer's Resource: "Thursday, April 20th, 2006 - The annual Lyrid Meteor Shower is upon us... with the peak taking place in the wee hours of Saturday night / Sunday morning. Skywatchers ought to see a dramatic increase in meteor activity the next several nights. The Lyrids are the second major meteor shower of the year. Coming in mid April, viewers must dress appropriately to enjoy the display as the Earth passes through the path of the comet Thatcher. The radiant of Lyrid meteors is in the northern constellation of Lyra (hence the shower's name). Visible from April 16th to April 22nd, the Lyrids currently peak on April 21st and 22nd, with the morning of the 22nd between midnight and dawn being best time to observe. Expect to see about 15 meteors per hour... though the Lyrids have spiked to 100 per hour on a few occasions. Check out Gary Kronk's Comets & Meteor Showers page for more great info."
posted by Matthew O. Smith @ 9:22 AM
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