The Lyrid meteor shower is visible every year in late April, when Earth encounters debris of ice and dust left behind by Comet C/1861 G1 (Thatcher). The shower favors observers in the Northern Hemisphere. It is one of the oldest known meteor showers, having been observed for more than 2,700 years. It was first recorded by Chinese astronomers in 687 BC.
Lyrid meteor shower in 2026
Activity period: The Lyrid meteor shower will be active from April 14 to 30 and will peak on the night of April 21-22, 2026.
When to see: As seen from mid-northern latitudes, the Lyrid radiant—the point from which the meteors appear to radiate—lies low in the northeast around 9:00 p.m. local time and reaches almost overhead in the early morning. So the shower will be best visible during the pre-dawn hours on April 22, 2026, when the radiant climbs high in the sky.
Note for observers: Like the Quadrantids in January, the Lyrid meteor shower has a very sharp peak, lasting only a few hours at most. Following the peak, activity typically remains above half of its maximum value for about six hours. As a result, some observers may miss the peak entirely, while others on a different continent could witness an excellent display.
In 2026, the predicted peak of the Lyrid meteor shower will fall on April 22 at around 20:00 UTC. This timing favors observers in eastern Asia.
Expected meteors during peak activity: The Lyrids are a medium strength shower, producing around 18 meteors per hour during peak activity under ideal conditions.
Moon phase during peak activity: In 2026, during the peak night, a waxing crescent moon will set before midnight. As a result, moonlight will not interfere with the Lyrids.
Where to look: Lyrid meteors radiate from near the bright star Vega in the constellation Lyra. However, you don’t need to identify Vega or Lyra in order to observe the shower.
The Lyrid meteor shower will be visible across the sky during the pre-dawn hours, when the radiant climbs high in the sky.
View from the Southern Hemisphere: As seen from mid-southern latitudes, the Lyrid radiant rises in the northeast around midnight and reaches low above the northern horizon at dawn. From there, the shower will only be visible during the last hour before dawn, at a lower rate, when skies are still perfectly dark.
Chances of meteor trains and fireballs: The Lyrids don’t tend to leave persistent trains (glowing trains left behind by bright meteors, lasting several seconds) when they streak through Earth’s atmosphere. However, the shower produces occasional fireballs (meteors with bright flashes).
Outburst of the Lyrid meteor shower
Although the Lyrids are a medium-strength shower, they have the potential to produce an outburst or an unexpectedly high number of meteors during peak activity.
There have been a number of outbursts. The Lyrids produced about 650 meteors per hour in 1803 (witnessed from Virginia, USA), about 430 meteors per hour in 1922 (Greece), about 110 meteors per hour in 1945 (Japan), and about 250 meteors per hour in 1982 (USA).
Peter Jenniskens, an astronomer at the SETI Institute and NASA Ames Research Center, suggests a 60-year periodic cycle for Lyrid outbursts. This ties in with 1922 and 1982, so if he is right, the next Lyrid outburst will occur in 2042.
Parent of the Lyrid meteor shower
Comet C/1861 G1 (Thatcher) is the parent body of the Lyrid meteor shower. It is a long-period comet that orbits the sun once every 415 years. It reached its last perihelion (closest approach to the sun) on June 3, 1861.
Amateur astronomer A. E. Thatcher discovered this comet from New York City on April 5, 1861. It is now officially designated C/1861 G1 (Thatcher), honouring his name.
In 1867, Edmond Weiss, the director of the Vienna Observatory, noted that Comet C/1861 G1 (Thatcher) came within 0.002 AU (about 300,000 km) of Earth’s orbit on April 20, close to the peak of Lyrid activity.
Later that year, Johann Galle found that the comet’s orbit closely matches that of the Lyrid meteoroid stream, confirming the association of Comet C/1861 G1 (Thatcher) with the Lyrids.
References
Atlas of Meteor Showers – A Practical Workbook for Meteor Observers
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