New England's night sky is second to none. Rhode Island even has a dedicated place, Frosty Drew Observatory, for all things astronomy. And next month, we'll be able to see the annual Lyrid Meteor Shower all over North America, including the Ocean State. Head to a nice, rural location and see for yourself.
The Lyrid Meteor Shower takes place every April, typically April 16 - 25.
This year's peak viewing date is April 22, in the wee hours just before dawn.
This shower is actually the earliest recorded of its kind, dating all the way back to 687 B.C.
The Lyrids are known for their occasional surges, at which time you can see up to 100 meteors in an hour. For perspective, you'll typically see about 10-15 per hour. The surges are unpredictable, so you can only hope they'll happen during a peak viewing time.
The meteors originate from the constellation Lyra, a fairly small group of stars.
Lyra's brightest star is called Vega, which happens to be the fifth brightest star in the entire sky.
The comet responsible for actually creating the Lyrids is called Thatcher.
It sheds debris in the form of dust particles that blaze across the horizon.
When you go out to view the meteors, looking for Vega will be a great start.
And of course, you'll wan to make sure you're in a remote area away from city lights.
There will not be a full moon during this time period, so your visibility should be pretty high.
Come check out this magical meteor shower this April. To increase your visibility odds, make it April 22.
Have you ever seen these spectacular meteors? This is your chance to wish upon hundreds of shooting stars.
Subscribe to our newsletter
Get the latest updates and news
Thank you for subscribing!