Lyrids over Ukraine: up to 20 meteors per hour, peak on the night of April 22–23

The peak of the annual Lyrid meteor shower over Ukraine will occur on the night of April 22–23: in favorable weather at this time you can see about 10–20 meteors per hour.

Activity will continue from April 16 to 25 and is associated with the fact that every spring the Earth passes through the dust trail of comet C/1861 G1 (Thatcher).

The luminous streaks enter the atmosphere at a speed of approximately 49 km/s, usually glow noticeably and leave short trails; fireballs are recorded from time to time. The shower is not among the most intense, but it is observed steadily every year.

The best time to observe is after midnight until dawn, when the radiant in the constellation Lyra, near the star Vega, rises above the horizon. It is worth choosing a location with minimal light pollution.

No special optics are needed: an open area is sufficient, and you should allow your eyes 20–30 minutes to adapt to the darkness.

Earlier we wrote:

• Where to go on the weekend in Mykolaiv: from classical music to space
• The Mykolaiv Observatory is still vying for inclusion on UNESCO’s World Heritage List
• Spectacular shots of the Perseid meteor shower at the lighthouse in Limany
• The Perseid stream will burst into Earth’s atmosphere. Ukrainians will see the biggest meteor shower over the weekend
• Perseid meteor shower 2017: the peak of the meteor rain occurs on August 11 and 12