Lyrid meteor shower to peak Thursday night into Friday morning

WAUSAU, Wis. (WSAW) - You may have already seen a shooting star dart across the night sky, as the Lyrid meteor shower began on April 15 and will continue through April 29. The Lyrid meteor shower will peak Thursday night (April 21) and last into the early morning hours of Friday (April 22).

Unfortunately, a bright waning gibbous moon will washout many of the fainter meteors this year. The moon will begin to rise just after 2 a.m. Friday morning. The best chance to see the oldest meteor shower, will be late Thursday night, before the moonrise begins.

During its peak, the Lyrid meteor shower produces 10 - 20 meteors per hour. The meteors appear to originate near the star Vega in the northeast sky, howver, you do not have to look to the northeast to see the meteors. The shooting stars can be seen anywhere in the night sky.

The Lyrid Meteor Shower is the oldest meteor shower that has been observed across the world for just over 2700 years.

VIEWING TIPS

- Let your eyes adjust to the night sky

- Get away from city lights and any light contamination

- Bundle up, as temps will fall into the 30s for the overnight period.