Every year around this time, in mid-April, lovers of the skies have an essential date. This is the shower of stars known as the Lyrids. According to experts, 2023 is an excellent year for observing this spectacle of meteors disintegrating as they cross the atmosphere at high speed.
This meteor shower, visible mainly from the northern hemisphere, is so called because the meteors have their radiant in the constellation Lyra. These cosmic flashes are nothing more than the dust left behind by the tail of Comet ‘Thatcher’, discovered in 186.1 when it brushed against the Earth’s atmosphere a few decades ago.
The Lyrids reach speeds of up to 200,000 kilometers per hour and with a rate of 20 shooting stars per hour, at times of maximum activity. They stand out for being brighter than other meteor showers due to the composition that the comet had in its tail.
The National Astronomical Observatory points out that this spring of 2023 is an excellent year for observing the Lyrids, since its moment of maximum activity will occur two days after the new moon (the new moon will take place on April 20). Of course, the rain always happens between April 16 and 25.
The maximum activity of the rain takes place on the night of April 22-23. The thin crescent of the Moon will allow observation in optimal conditions throughout the night.
However, the best time to see the meteor shower is after the moon has set, at dawn, with a very dark sky and protected from light pollution. The best thing to do is to go to a point far from the city, where there is no light pollution and, as far as possible, allows us to have a clear view of the sky.
It is recommended not to use optical instruments such as binoculars, as they limit the field of vision. “It is convenient to direct the gaze towards the darkest areas, in the opposite direction to the position of the Moon if the observation is made when it is present. The most comfortable thing is to lie down and wait for the eyes to get used to the darkness”, they advise from the Astronomical Observatory.
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