The Lyrid meteor shower is back, and it can look like the night sky is making quick, bright scribbles. Those “shooting stars” are really meteors—tiny bits of space dust that glow when they zip into Earth’s air and heat up fast.
This meteor shower usually peaks around April 21 into April 22. Under very dark skies, you might spot about 10 to 20 meteors in an hour, and this year a thin crescent moon should keep the sky darker so the streaks can stand out.
You don’t need a telescope to watch. Find a safe, comfy spot, look up, and give your eyes time to adjust—your vision needs a little while to switch into a better “night mode.”
It’s also a good moment to practice careful sky-watching: be patient, notice patterns, and remember that first guesses can be wrong (they aren’t real stars). And always go outside with a trusted adult and watch from a safe place away from streets.
This meteor shower usually peaks around April 21 into April 22. Under very dark skies, you might spot about 10 to 20 meteors in an hour, and this year a thin crescent moon should keep the sky darker so the streaks can stand out.
You don’t need a telescope to watch. Find a safe, comfy spot, look up, and give your eyes time to adjust—your vision needs a little while to switch into a better “night mode.”
It’s also a good moment to practice careful sky-watching: be patient, notice patterns, and remember that first guesses can be wrong (they aren’t real stars). And always go outside with a trusted adult and watch from a safe place away from streets.