Here’s How To Catch A Glimpse Of The Big Meteor Shower Happening This Week
Safe to say we’re all getting pretty sick of staring at the same four walls of our apartments these days. Which is why it’s so exciting that the Lyrid meteor shower is going to be visible across Australia this week.
The Lyrids meteor shower happens every year from April 16 to 25 as debris from the comet Thatcher passes over Earth’s orbit. In 2020, the Lyrids will peak on April 22 and 23.
Big astronomical events like this can be a tricky bitch, so here’s everything you need to know about how and when to see the meteor shower for yourself.
How can you see the Lyrid meteor shower?
According to Time and Date, the best time for Aussies to see the meteor shower will be this Wednesday night and early Thursday morning.
You won’t need any special equipment to catch the phenomenon in action, either. Just find a place with a good view of the sky, ideally away from any bright lights, and look up.
Normally if you’re really serious about seeing a meteor shower you’d go somewhere high up and away from city lights. That’s not an option for most people right now, so you’ll have to settle for your backyard or balcony.
Lucky for us, the Lyrid meteor shower is peaking at the same time as the next new moon, so even city slickers will be treated to prime viewing conditions.
If you can’t see anything to begin with, just remember that your eyes will probably need to adjust to the lighting. Give it a few minutes.
To increase your odds even further, download a sky map app to help you locate the shower in the sky. Here’s a good free app for Android users, and one for iOS.
Or get around Time and Date’s interactive meteor shower map to track the Lyrids on the night.
(Lead image: Mike Lewinski / Flickr)
