Los Angeles, California – Skywatchers across the U.S. could catch a glittering display Monday night as the Lyrid meteor shower hits its peak, sending up to 18 meteors per hour streaking across dark skies into early Tuesday morning.
According to the American Meteor Society, the Lyrids — one of the oldest known showers — will be most active between 10 p.m. local time Monday and 4:30 a.m. Tuesday. Light from a waning crescent moon may wash out faint meteors, but viewers in darker areas can still expect to see around five per hour.
Officials recommend lying back away from city lights, allowing 30 minutes for your eyes to adjust, and resisting the urge to check your phone. From Seattle to Miami, ideal viewing will depend heavily on cloud cover and local conditions. Cities with clear skies tonight could get front-row seats to a cosmic light show more than 2,700 years in the making.
The Lyrids will taper off by Saturday, but don’t miss tonight’s main event. The next major shower — the Eta Aquariids — arrives May 5–6.
