New Delhi: The Lyrids is among several meteor showers that occur every year. While there are not a large number of meteors visible, they are known for
their speed and brightness, with some erupting in spectacular fireballs. At the peak, the number of meteors is usually between 10 and 20 per hour. The activity varies significantly every year and is difficult to predict. In 1982, rates between 75 and 250 were reported for brief periods. The Lyrids can be seen for a couple of days before and after the peak. The visibility depends on the phase of the Moon, the extent of cloud cover and the amount of light pollution, as darker skies are better for spotting the fainter meteors.
The source of many meteor showers are comets. The meteor shower occurs as the Earth passes through the debris stream left behind by a fragmenting comet that made a close approach to the Sun. The Lyrids are leftover remnants of the Comet Thatcher that orbits the Sun every 415 years and was last seen in 1861, and will be seen next in the year 2276. Most shooting stars are about the size of a pea, and appear as streaks of light. The larger ones are brighter, and can fragment and explode in fireballs, known as bolides.
The Radiant
The Lyrids derive their name from the constellation they appear to originate from, which is Lyra or the Harp. If the paths of all the shooting stars from a Lyrid meteor shower is traced back, it would appear to be close to the star Vega, which is easy to spot and among the brightest stars in the sky. Early in the morning, before dawn, the star is almost directly overhead. Because of an effect known as foreshortening, the meteors away from the radiant have longer streaks. The meteors in the night will have longer trails, but fewer will be visible. Towards dawn, there will be more meteors visible, but with shorter trails.
