The Lyrids (LYR) are a meteor shower lasting from April 16
to April 26 each year. The radiant of the meteor shower is located in the
constellation Lyra, near this constellation's brightest star, Alpha Lyrae
(proper name Vega); hence they are also called the Alpha Lyrids and sometimes
the April Lyrids. The source of the meteor shower is particles of dust shed in
the cometary tail generated by the periodic Comet C/1861 G1 Thatcher. The
Lyrids have been observed for the past 2600 years.
The shower usually peaks on around April 22 and the morning
of April 23. Counts typically range from 5 to 20 meteors per hour, averaging
around ten. As a result of light pollution, observers in the country will see
more, observers in the city fewer. Nights without a moon in the sky will reveal
the most meteors.
The
Lyrid meteor shower has been observed for more than 2,000 years; Chinese
records say "stars fell like rain" during the shower of 687 BC. But
in recent times the Lyrids have generally been weak. They have a brief maximum
that lasts for less than a day, and even then only 10 to 20 Lyrids per hour may
appear. One of the unpredictable aspects of this shower, though, is that it’s known for uncommon surges that sometimes result in up to 100 shooting stars per hour.
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