Lyrids Meteor Shower
The Lyrids meteor shower, which peaks in late April, is one of the oldest known meteor showers. According to NASA, the Lyrids have been observed for 2,700 years, with the first recorded sighting as far back as 687 BC.
What is a Meteor Shower?
Meteor showers, such as the Lyrids, are leftover particles (debris and dust) from broken asteroids. Each year, Earth passes through the debris and dust trails left behind by comets, which causes an interaction between our atmosphere and these particles. These particles eventually disintegrate, producing streaks of light in the night sky, known as meteors or shooting stars.
In the case of the Lyrids, the debris is from Comet Thatcher (Comet C/1861 G1 Thatcher). Discovered in 1861, it takes this comet 415 years to orbit the sun and has an orbital period of 200+ years.
The Lyrids happen annually, as do other meteor showers, as Earth passes through the same region of space at the same time each year. This means that the path of the meteor shower will continue to radiate outward from a particular point in the sky, while also pointing back at the direction in which they came.
Depending on the intensity of the shower and the visibility of the night sky, it can be possible to see anywhere from dozens to hundreds of meteors. For this reason, they are a popular event among stargazers and amateur astronomers, who often gather in groups to watch and enjoy the event.
Lyrids Meteor Shower
The Lyrids meteor shower produces anywhere from 5 to 20 meteors per hour, averaging 10. Your observing conditions will impact your overall views of the shower. For example, the new moon phase and the absence of light pollution will reveal more meteors.
The name ‘Lyrids’ comes from Lyra, the constellation which the meteor shower appears to originate from. This serves as a guide to help you locate the radiant point, though the meteors can be visible in any part of the sky.
- Constellation: Lyra
- Right Ascension: 18h 08m
- Declination: +32°
- Date: April 16 – 25
- Peak: April 22 (varying by a day or two each year)
- Hourly Rate (at peak): 15-20 meteors per hour
When And Where to See the Lyrids
The Lyrids meteor shower takes place each year from April 16 – April 25, with the peak of the shower happening on or around April 22. Though this meteor shower happens annually in late April, the peak time may vary by a day depending on the year.
The radiant point of the Lyrids meteor shower is located in the constellation Lyra, near the bright star Vega. This is the point in the sky from where the meteor appears to originate. The best time for viewing will be from late evening until dawn the following morning.
Lyrids radiant near Vega in the Lyra constellation | PA Graphic
Though the meteors will radiate from the northeast, it is actually better to view the Lyrids away from their radiant point. If you do look directly at the radiant, you will find short meteors versus the longer tails that can be viewed away from the radiant.
In the northern hemisphere, the best views will be at midnight when Vega rises high in the sky. From this vantage point, meteors can be seen streaking from the radiant point across the sky.
Viewing the Lyrids Meteor Shower
You don’t need any equipment (i.e. telescopes or binoculars) to view this event. However, it is recommended that you view from a dark location away from city lights and allow your eyes to adjust to the dark (30-40 minutes).
Below are some additional tips for viewing the Lyrids, and any meteor shower:
- Dress accordingly: if you plan to stay out for a long time to view the meteors, be sure to warm something warm and maybe bring a blanket. It would also help to have something warm to drink.
- Create the View: lie down to view the shower. A zero gravity chair is great to keep you off the ground but still allows you to look directly up at the sky.
- Relax your eye: try not to look at any particular spot. This will help you notice movement in the sky to allow you to see more meteors.
- Be patient: the frequency of meteors will vary. Keep in mind, you will see more meteors during the peak of the shower.
- Observing Conditions: your views will depend on your observing conditions and other things like the moon phase, your Bortle Scale, and the amount of light pollution.
Photographing the Lyrids Meteor Shower
To photograph a meteor shower, it is often best to capture a timelapse of the night sky. This will increase the chances that you will capture a meteor streak because your camera is continuously firing away over a long period of time.
You do not need a telescope to enjoy and photograph a meteor shower. In fact, the odds of seeing a meteor streak across the sky through the narrow field of view of a telescope are extremely low.
Instead, use a wide-angle camera lens that can capture a large area of the sky at once. For the Lyrid Meteor Shower, you will want to point your camera and lens toward the constellation Lyra because this is where the majority of meteors will radiate from.
I recommend using a DSLR or mirrorless camera with a lens in the 14-24mm range to photograph the Lyrid Meteor Shower. As with any nightscape-style photography, you will also need a sturdy tripod to mount the camera on.
Camera Settings for a Meteor Shower
I suggest adjusting the settings on your camera to collect a well-exposed image of about 15-20 seconds using an intervalometer or simple remote shutter release cable.
You do not need a star tracker to capture an impressive meteor shower photo, a stationary tripod will work just fine. Consider using the 500 Rule to help you decide on the perfect exposure time to use.
Even though a lower low f-stop (F/4 or below) is typically a smart choice for astrophotography, you may want to experiment with a higher aperture setting to allow the image to expose longer.
This is simply to increase the chances that you capture a streaking meteor, as you never know where and when it will occur. Here are some example settings to try when photographing a meteor shower:
- Focal Length: 18mm
- Type: RAW
- Mode: Manual/Bulb
- White Balance: Daylight
- ISO: 400
- F-Stop: F/4
- Exposure: 20-Seconds
Using a remote shutter release cable, set your camera to take 120 x 20-second images, with a 2-second break in between. The idea is to have your camera collect as much of the action (for the longest period of time) as possible.
This is why it is important to not use camera settings that allow the maximum amount of light to be collected. For example, using an ISO setting of 1600 at F/2.8 will likely limit your exposure time to under 10 seconds before the sky is completely blown out.
Reviewing my single image exposures for meteor streaks.
Instead, use settings that limit the amount of light collected so you can capture a longer exposure. These settings will change dramatically depending on your sky conditions, particularly if you are in an area of heavy light pollution.
After you feel like you have captured enough image exposures (which could be over several hours), it’s time to inspect your images and look for streaking meteors.
If you stayed outside to enjoy the show with your naked eye, you may even remember a certain moment when you caught one.
Creating a Meteor Shower Composite Image
Then, you can create a meteor shower composite image containing all of the meteor streaks that occurred throughout the night. This involves using a single exposure for the constellations and sky, and only the meter streaks from several other images frames.
For a memorable shot, you may even want to stack a number of image exposures together to create a better base image to start from. Including a foreground interest such as a forest treeline will make the image even better.
This can be accomplished in Adobe Photoshop by using layers. The idea is to use a single image frame as a base, and reveal the meteor streaks within this image. For a more accurate composite, be sure to align the stars and constellations with each other before revealing the meteor streak location.