Lyrid meteor shower: How UK stargazers can watch the oldest annual

Parts of the UK are being treated to a dazzling display as the oldest annual meteor shower known to man streaks through the Earth’s atmosphere.

The Lyrid meteor shower peaks during late April every year and was first spotted in 687 BC by Chinese stargazers. This particular display is known for its fast and bright meteors and produces around 18 an hour.

How to watch the Lyrid meteor shower

The moon is nearly full tonight and will be Spring’s ‘pink moon’, which sadly looks the same as any other full moon. The brightness of the moon means you’ll need to watch more carefully to see the shower.

NASA recommends watching during the ‘dark hours’ after the moon has set and before the sun has risen. For the UK, that’ll be around 5am.

Clouds have long thwarted stargazers and for parts of the UK, tonight will be no different. The best places to watch the shower will be around Preston, Manchester, Kendal, Scotland and around the South East coast from Lowestoft to Brighton.

NASA recommends letting your eyes adjust to the dark for around 30 minutes. After that, you’ll begin to see meteors.

“Be patient,” says the space agency, “The show will last until dawn, so you have plenty of time to catch a glimpse.”

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The Lyrids peaked overnight into 22 April but will be visible for the rest of the month around the Northern Hemisphere. The further away from the peak, however, the fewer you’ll see.