Peninsula Daily News news services
YOU CAN EXPECT THE annual Lyrid meteor shower to reach its peak between 10 p.m. and midnight tonight (Saturday), although it is likely you can spot some Lyrids until dawn Sunday.
The Lyrids — a stream of debris from ancient Comet Thatcher — appear to radiate out of the constellation Lyra in the northeastern part of the sky. However, they may show up in any part of the sky.
The bad news is that Lyrids are seldom numerous.
From dark sites, like the turnouts on the highway up to Hurricane Ridge, you may see 10 or 20 meteors an hour.
Every so often, though, the shower erupts with bursts of up to 100 meteors an hour from unmapped filaments of dust in what was the comet’s tail.
The good news is that this year’s peak coincides with a new moon, so lunar light interference will not be a problem.
And the peak takes place on a Saturday night, so kids can stay up late and check it out.
You don’t need any special equipment to enjoy a meteor-watching party.
Just hope for no clouds, bundle up to stay warm, spread a blanket or sit back in a chair, and look up.
Although they may not be plentiful, the Lyrids are noted for their brightness and long trails. And you never know when you may see the fireball of the century blazing across the sky.
The possibility of a good display has prompted NASA to plan an unusual 3D meteor photography experiment combining observations from the ground, a research balloon and the International Space Station.
