dailyloe.com – The Lyrid meteor shower will peak in the early hours of April 22, 2026. This annual event occurs between April 16 and 25 each year. Observers can expect a Zenithal Hourly Rate of about 18 meteors. The shower is associated with Comet Thatcher.
The best viewing time is during predawn hours. This is when the shower’s radiant point is highest in the sky. Visibility will decrease as the morning sky brightens. Fortunately, the moon will set after midnight in 2026.
This will leave dark skies ideal for peak viewing. The radiant is in the constellation Lyra. It is located northeast of the bright star Vega. Do not look directly at the radiant for best results.
Look slightly away from this point instead. This allows you to see longer meteor trails. The average shower produces 15 to 20 meteors hourly. Some years feature unpredictable outbursts of up to 100 meteors.
The Lyrids originate from debris left by Comet Thatcher. This is a long-period comet orbiting the sun every 415.5 years. It last made its closest solar approach in 1861. The comet’s particles create the annual meteor display.
