Lyrid Meteor Shower Peaks Today's With 'Unpredictable' Show

As many as 20 meteors per hour could grace night sky in "unpredictable" show.

By
ALYSSA NEWCOMB
April 22, 2015, 11:13 AM ET
3 min read

— -- Heads up!

The Lyrid Meteor shower will reach its peak today when as many as 20 meteors per hour are expected to whiz through the night sky.

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"The Lyrids are really unpredictable," Bill Cooke, director of NASA's Meteoroid Environment Office, said in a statement. "For the 2015 shower, I'm expecting 15 to 20 Lyrid meteors an hour."

Peak meteor action should happen after 10:30 p.m. local time in the northern hemisphere, while Cooke said people in the southern hemisphere should be able to catch a glimpse after midnight local time.

All it takes to view the meteor shower is an unobstructed view of the sky away from artificial lights. NASA recommends bringing a lawn chair or blanket, laying back and enjoying the view.

For those who would rather stay indoors but still check out the view, NASA will be live streaming the Lyrids.

The meteors are pieces of the Comet C/1861 G1 Thatcher and have made an appearance every April for at least the past 2,600 years when Earth runs into a stream of debris from the comet.