2020 Lyrid Meteor Shower on tap!
Lyrid Meteor … sprinkle by Ken Scott Photography
The annual Lyrid Meteor Shower is a more variable shower than the Perseid or Leonid showers, but it has still produced some impressive showers in the past AND we are blessed with a waning moon that will make viewing a lot better. EarthSky shares:
In 2020, we expect the shower to pick up beginning late at night on Sunday, April 19, 2020, probably peaking in the predawn hours on Wednesday, April 22. The follow morning (April 23) might be good too, if you’re game.
The Lyrids have been known to have outbursts. For example, in 1982, American observers saw an outburst of nearly 100 Lyrid meteors per hour. Japanese observers saw around 100 meteors per hour in 1945, and Greek observers saw that number in 1922. No Lyrid outburst is predicted for 2020, but you never know.
About a quarter of Lyrid meteors leave persistent trains. A meteor train is an ionized gas trail that glows for a few seconds after the meteor has passed.
The Lyrid meteor shower has the distinction of being among the oldest of known meteor showers. Records of this shower go back for some 2,700 years. The ancient Chinese are said to have observed the Lyrid meteors falling like rain in the year 687 B.C.
So if you’ve got a slice of clear sky, have a look!! More at EarthSky including a map of where to watch.
Follow Ken on Facebook for the latest and be sure to check out his Skies Above gallery on Flickr for some great shots!
