A dark sky lit up in the night is a spectacular sight to behold. This Saturday night, one of the world’s oldest meteor showers takes its turn in making the stars dance. Take a break from homework and chores and take some friends out! Partake in the spectacular experience that is the Lyrid meteor shower.
Roughly 2,700 years old, the Lyrid meteor shower is one of the oldest known. According to Bruce McClare from Earthsky.org, these historic meteors are actually remnants of Comet Thatcher. This comet has not been photographed because its orbital path around the sun takes 415 years, meaning the last time it was seen was 1861. If the meteors aren’t enough, one could always wait for 2276 to see the comet that created them. So, once a year, Earth crosses its orbital path and gets to witness what Thatcher has left behind.
In order to watch it though, one will need to know where, when, and what to look for. The bulk of the meteors are seen at the constellation called Lyra the Harp – hence the name Lyrid. Now, McClure assures that this meteor shower can be seen from all parts of the sky, but for the best view, look toward the northern hemisphere.
This year, it is occurring between April 16 and the 25 with its peak on the morning of the 22. Fortunately, during this time the moon will be in waxing so the sky will be nice and dark for a clear view of the fiery rocks. It is estimated that there will be about 10 – 20 meteors per hour, but it is wildly unpredictable. For example, in 1982 America witnessed over 100 per hour.
So this weekend go and find a place in the country – not hard because this is Iowa – away from lights, bring blankets, snacks and bug spray, and enjoy yourself! Pleasant Valley senior Sam Lindhoff states that he’s excited for it because, “It is an extraordinary astronomical event that will most likely make me question my reality for the night.”
The Lyrids are truly a sight to behold, so don’t pass up the amazing opportunity to see them. They may occur every year, but it is a memory you will have for a lifetime.
Peter Matos • Apr 20, 2018 at 9:29 am
It’ll be awesome to see the showers with clear skies this weekend and not freeze