First meteor shower of the year to start this week
The Lyrids shower, the first of the year, is set to begin this week. Pictured: The Perseid meteor shower over Norfolk in August 2021
Keep your eyes on the skies as the first meteor shower of the year is set to begin this week.
Activity from the Lyrids began overnight and will be ramping up over the coming days.
The shower will have its peak on April 22 and is set to last until April 29.
Meteors will be most visible about an hour before midnight and will be at their highest in the sky at dawn.
In a dark sky with no clouds, you can expect to see around 10 to 15 meteors per hour.
But the annual Lyrids shower is also known for uncommon surges, where there can be rates of up to 100 per hour.
The best way to spot meteors is to sit in the shade rather than under the moon.
Most Read
- 1 Man held in murder probe after woman fatally stabbed in Custom House
- 2 'Unexplained': Man dies after being found unresponsive in Plashet Park
- 3 Queen’s Platinum Jubilee: Street parties and road closures in Newham
- 4 Man allegedly commits GBH after robbing bottles of champagne from Tesco
- 5 Wanted: Five people Newham police wish to speak to
- 6 Dagenham and West Ham accused in court after drugs raids
- 7 Schools and staff across east London up for national awards
- 8 Iceland offers over 60s discount on shopping bill every week
- 9 Teenager from Newham found safe and well
- 10 Pensioner dies after being critically injured in East Ham crash
The Lyrids meteor shower is associated with Comet Thatcher - being debris from the comet - and sits within the Lyra constellation.
Meteors from the Lyrids are characterised by leaving persistent trails. The trail is ionised gas that glows for a few seconds after the meteor passes.
Some can be brighter, known as 'Lyrid fireballs'.
