The Lyrid Meteor Shower is a famous celestial event occurring annually in April, and it reaches its peak nearly every year on Earth Day (April 22) when you can expect to see about 10-15 meteors per hour shooting across the night sky! The “Lyrid fireballs” have been mentioned in reports dating back to 687 B.C., making this the oldest recorded meteor shower.
According to EarthSky.org, the Lyrids are significant for breaking the “meteor drought” that occurs each year from January to April. The Lyrids are active from April 15 to 29, and the best viewing times will be from late evening till dawn on the nights of Apr. 21-22 and 22-23. This year, there will be no moon in the sky during the Lyrids, making for optimal meteor shower viewing.
Here are sunset/sunrise and moonset/moonrise times for Apr. 21-23 in the Bay Area:
- Friday, Apr. 21: Sunset at 7:50pm, moonset at 9:57pm
- Saturday, Apr. 22: Sunrise at 6:25am, moonrise at 7:51am
- Saturday, Apr. 22: Sunset at 7:51pm, moonset at 11:04pm
- Sunday, Apr. 23: Sunrise at 6:23am, moonrise at 8:31am
So, between those hours, try to get somewhere with low light pollution and bring a jacket, coffee, and whatever else you might need! Check out this light pollution map to help you plan. Read our guide to stargazing in the Bay Area or hit up a local observatory to aid in your meteor shower viewing.
San Francisco’s Academy of Sciences has a great Skywatcher’s Guide where you can keep track of other exciting celestial events. Check out these phenomena coming up:
- Apr. 19: A new eclipse season begins. After April’s New Moon, conditions may allow for perfect alignment of the sun, moon, and Earth.
- May 5: Flower Moon. May’s full moon is known as the Flower Moon by the Algonquin due to the abundance of flowers that bloom in the Northern Hemisphere during this time of year. Other Native American names given to this moon are the Panther Moon (Choctaw) and Time When the Horses Get Fat (Cheyenne).
- May 5: Peak of Eta Aquarid Meteor shower. This meteor shower associated with Halley’s Comet coincides with a full moon, meaning less optimal viewing conditions.
- June 3: Strawberry Moon. June’s full moon was known as the Strawberry Moon by the Algonquin, Windy Moon by the Choctaw, and Hot Weather Moon by the Ponca.