Meteor Showers Lyrids and Eta Aquariids to Illuminate Night Skies
Two meteor showers, the Lyrids and the Eta Aquariids, are set to light up the night skies. The Lyrids, which began earlier this month, will peak between April 21 and April 22, offering a display of 15 to 20 meteors per hour under optimal conditions. This meteor shower is fed by the C/1861 G1 comet, also known as Thatcher. The Eta Aquariids, starting on April 19 and lasting until May 28, is expected to peak between May 5 and May 6, with up to 50 meteors per hour. This shower is fed by the 1P/Halley comet, the same comet responsible for the Orionids meteor shower in October. The best viewing conditions for the Eta Aquariids are in the tropics, as the further south one is, the more meteors can be seen.