Miami stargazers are in for a cosmic treat this week as the Lyrid Meteor Shower is set to peak overnight from April 21 to 22! If viewing conditions are just right, the annual display produces around 10 to 20 shooting stars each hour, with the occasional brighter fireballs to illuminate the night.
Here’s all you need to know about this yearly phenomenon and how to take it in.
What is the Lyrid Meteor Shower?
The Lyrids are one of the oldest known meteor showers, with records of people observing them dating back over 2,500 years. They occur when Earth passes through debris left by Comet Thatcher, which orbits the Sun once every 415 years.
Typically active from mid-April through late April each year, the shower can produce up to 20 meteors per hour during its peak. Viewers can expect fast and bright meteors that sometimes leave behind bright flashes in the Earth’s atmosphere, known as “fireballs.”
When and where to experience the Lyrid Meteor Shower
Lyrids are best viewed from the Northern Hemisphere (luckily for us), so South Florida offers a great vantage point as long as you can find a dark enough spot away from city lights. For the best chance of seeing the shower, head to locations with minimal light pollution and unobstructed views like the Everglades, Big Cypress National Reserve and Bill Sadowski Park & Nature Center.
This year, the meteor shower will peak on the night of Tuesday, April 21, into the early morning hours of Wednesday, April 22. While you might see a few meteors in the late evening, the best time to catch the stars falling in action is after midnight and right before dawn.
Just grab a comfortable chair, let your eyes adjust to the darkness for about 20 minutes and enjoy the show!
