Lyrids Meteor shower to dazzle up the night sky

The first major meteor shower in 2019 will occur on the night of April 21-22. The April Lyrids 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.

There are records from ancient Chinese astronomers spotting these bursts of light more than 2,700 years ago. They blaze through the sky at about 107,000 miles per hour and explode about 55 miles up in the planet’s atmosphere.

How to watch a meteor shower

Go somewhere as dark as possible and make sure you give your eyes enough time to adjust to the darkness. A cloudless sky also aids in the viewing experience. Although the full moon this time around may prove to be a distraction.

Typically, the Lyrid meteor shower can showcase between 10 and 20 meteors per hour during the peak, but it’s difficult to pinpoint how many will be visible.