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Meteor shower · April

Lyrids 2027

One of the oldest recorded meteor showers, with swift, bright meteors that appear in late April.

Peak nightApr 22–23
Rate at peakRates vary
Moon at peak96% · rises 22:47
Best time from London23:15–03:30
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The Lyrids from London

Times for London, United Kingdom

On the night of Apr 22–23, the radiant climbs to 65° in the southeast while it’s dark in London. A 96%-lit Moon is up through the best hours, and its light will hide the fainter meteors. The best window here is about 23:15–03:30.

  1. 19:18Radiant rises
  2. 22:25Astronomical darkness begins
  3. 22:47Moon rises, 96% lit
  4. 23:15Best window begins (moonlit)
  5. 03:31Dawn twilight begins
  6. 05:06Radiant highest, 72° up
0°30°60°90°18:0021:0000:0003:0006:00RadiantMoon (96%)
Meteors can appear anywhere in the sky. Traced backward, their trails meet at the radiant; the higher it is, the more you’ll see.

How to watch

The radiant rises in the evening for northern observers but is highest before dawn, so the last few hours of darkness are best. Southern observers see it lower and later.

The radiant is near the bright star Vega in Lyra, which climbs high in the east after midnight. Rates vary from year to year, so SkyMate doesn’t quote a peak rate for this shower. The shower is active from about 20 Apr to 24 Apr.

Get as far from streetlights as you can and give your eyes at least 20 minutes to adjust to the dark. Every glance at a bright phone screen resets that, so keep it away or use a red night mode.

Lie back on a reclining chair or a mat and take in as much sky as possible, looking about halfway up rather than straight at the radiant. Meteors can appear anywhere; the ones far from the radiant have longer trails.

You need no equipment. Binoculars and telescopes show only a tiny patch of sky, so they make you miss meteors. Dress warmly, even in summer, and plan to watch for at least an hour: meteors come in clumps and lulls.

Where do they come from?

The Lyrids are dust from Comet Thatcher (C/1861 G1), which takes about 415 years to orbit the Sun. Records of the shower go back more than 2,500 years, to Chinese observations.

Fast, bright meteors; a few leave glowing trains for a second or two.

Active
20–24 Apr
Peak
around 22 Apr 2027
Rate at peak (ZHR)
Varies
Speed
47 km/s
Parent body
Comet C/1861 G1 (Thatcher)
Radiant
Hercules

Calendar

Every major shower’s peak in 2027. Dates are approximate (±1 day) and given in UTC.

Questions

How many Lyrids will I see?
Rates vary from year to year. Most years are modest, but the Lyrids have produced occasional short bursts of much higher activity, which can’t be reliably predicted.
Is Vega the source of the meteors?
No. Vega only marks the direction the meteors seem to come from. The dust burns up about 100 km above the ground.
How many meteors will I really see?
Fewer than the peak rate. The zenithal hourly rate (ZHR) assumes a perfectly dark sky with the radiant straight overhead. With some light pollution, moonlight or a low radiant, a fraction of that is typical.
What is the radiant?
The point in the sky the meteors seem to come from. It’s a perspective effect: the dust travels in parallel paths, like snowflakes seen from a moving car. The higher the radiant, the more meteors you see.
Do I need a telescope or binoculars?
No. Your eyes are best because meteors can appear anywhere in the sky. Optical aid narrows your view far too much.
Know the best hour for your sky.SkyMate can remind you when the radiant is up and the sky is dark where you are.Join the waitlist

Sources: Global Meteor Network (activity and peak solar longitudes, CC BY 4.0); Moorhead, Clements & Vida 2022 (radiants and speeds, CC BY 4.0); NASA Meteoroid Environment Office (typical peak rates; no NASA endorsement implied). Peak dates and positions computed by SkyMate. Data & Licences

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