Lyrid Meteor Shower 2030

The Lyrid meteor shower originates from Comet C/1861 G1 (Thatcher). The comet was discovered in 1861. Comet C/1861 G1 (Thatcher) is a long-period comet with an orbit of about 422 years and is expected to return around 2283. It was discovered by A. E. Thatcher.

As this comet travels close to the Sun, it leaves behind a trail of debris: small meteoroids spread out in space that cross Earth’s orbit. As Earth moves around the Sun, it passes through this stream of debris at certain times each year. When these particles enter Earth’s atmosphere at very high speed, they heat up through friction with the air and burn, creating the streaks of light we call meteors.

The Lyrids are active from April 14 – 30, 2030, peaking on the night of April 22 and the morning of April 23 with up to 18 meteors per hour under ideal conditions.

This meteor shower is best observed if you are patient and watch from after midnight until just before dawn, from a dark location far from city lights. You don’t need special equipment such as a telescope or binoculars, just your naked eyes and good weather! The radiant of this meteor shower is in the constellation Lyra, but meteors can appear anywhere in the sky.