With partly cloudy skies predicted and no moonlight to interfere, Tuesday night could offer excellent conditions for viewing the Lyrids meteor shower in Colorado if you’re willing to stay up late or get up really early on Wednesday.
The Lyrids began last week and will continue through April 28, but the peak is expected to occur around midnight and continue until dawn Wednesday. The moon will be out of the picture, so to speak, because it rises at 6:21 a.m. on Wednesday.
“The best Lyrid activity should be visible during the last hour before the start of morning twilight,” according to a post on the websites of the American Meteor Society and the International Meteor Organization. “This is when the radiant lies highest above the horizon in a dark sky. This normally occurs between 4-5 a.m. local daylight-saving time this time of year.”
The Lyrid meteor shower consists of particles that are remnants from a comet that last passed through our solar system in 1861.
“Compared to other meteor showers, the Lyrids tend to produce bright meteors and an occasional fireball,” the post said. “Serious observers should watch for at least an hour as numerous peaks and valleys of activity will occur. If you only view for a short time, it may coincide with a lull of activity. Watching for at least an hour guarantees you will get to see the best this display has to offer.”
