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The Lyrid Meteor Shower The Lyrid meteor shower is active annually in the second half of April, with activity in 2025 expected from April 15–29. The peak is predicted for late evening on April 21 through the early hours of April 22, with the maximum expected around 16:00 UTC on April 22.

The best viewing window is late evening April 21 until the waning crescent moon rises a few hours before dawn on April 22, as moonlight can reduce visibility. The Lyrids are best observed from the Northern Hemisphere, though some meteors can be seen from the Southern Hemisphere, albeit in fewer numbers.

Lyrid meteors are known for being fast and bright, sometimes leaving glowing trains that persist for several seconds, and can occasionally produce fireballs. The radiant point, where meteors appear to originate, is in the constellation Lyra, near the bright star Vega.

The radiant rises before midnight and is highest at dawn, making the hours after midnight and before dawn optimal for viewing. The Lyrids originate from debris left by Comet Thatcher (C/1861 G1), which takes over 400 years to orbit the Sun. This meteor shower is one of the oldest recorded, with observations dating back over 2,700 years.

For the best experience, find a dark location away from city lights, lie back facing east, and allow your eyes about 30 minutes to adjust to the darkness. Under ideal dark-sky conditions, observers can expect to see 10–20 meteors per hour at the peak, with a Zenithal Hourly Rate (ZHR) of about 18.

Occasionally, the Lyrids produce outbursts with rates up to 100 meteors per hour, though these are unpredictable. The Eta Aquarids Meteor Shower The Eta Aquarids meteor shower is produced by debris from Halley’s Comet (1P/Halley), one of the most famous comets in history.

These meteors are known for their speed, entering Earth’s atmosphere at about 66 km/s (41 miles per second), often leaving persistent trains. The shower is active from about April 19–20 to May 27–28, with the peak occurring on the night of May 5–6, 2025, from 2:00 a.m. local time until dawn, as the radiant (near the star Eta Aquarii in Aquarius) climbs higher in the sky.

In the Southern Hemisphere, up to 50–60 meteors per hour under ideal conditions. The Eta Aquarids are best seen in the Southern Hemisphere or near the equator, where the radiant rises higher and for a longer period before dawn. In the Northern Hemisphere, 10–30 meteors per hour, with lower rates the farther north.

Meteors are visible, but at lower rates due to the radiant’s lower altitude References: (2025, April 20). 2025 Lyrid Meteor Shower: All You Need to Know. EarthSky. https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/everything-you-need-to-know-lyrid-meteor-shower/ Dobrijevic, D. (2025, April 14).

Lyrid Meteor Shower 2025: When, Where & How to See It. Space.com. https://www.space.com/36381-lyrid-meteor-shower-guide.html Hsu, J. (2025, April 15). How To Spot the 2025 Lyrids and Eta Aquarids Meteor Showers. New Scientist. https://www.newscientist.com/article/2476328-how-to-spot-the-2025-lyrids-and-eta-aquarids-meteor-showers/

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Coram Deo — before the face of God. This blog reflects on Scripture, world events, science, music, psychology, and the human mind — always through the lens of Christian faith. All of life is lived before the face of God.