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Thursday night through Friday morning will be one of those special dates scattered throughout the year, when skywatchers can catch a meteor shower as numerous potentially exploding flares in the dark.

Meteor showers occur when our planet enters a field of debris left behind by icy comets or rocky asteroids orbiting the sun. These tiny particles burn in the atmosphere, giving rise to blazing light paths. The regularity of orbital mechanics means that any meteor shower happens at roughly the same time each year.

One of the first major meteor showers of spring is the Lyrids. They have been active since April 15th and going on the 29th, but will peak on April 21-22, or Thursday night and early Friday morning.

The meteors come from a comet called C/1861 G1, also known as Thatcher. It’s a morning shower best seen in the early predawn hours in the Northern Hemisphere, but some activity can be seen in the Southern Hemisphere.

Two-thirds of the moon will peak at a full moon, which can limit visibility. If you don’t get a good show overnight, the Lyrid shower is predicted to be much stronger in 2023, when the Moon will become a small crescent with 18 meteors per hour visible.

And there are more meteor showers to come. Visit The Times’ list of major showers expected in 2022or Sync our huge curated collection of space and astronomy events with your personal digital calendar.

how to see shower

Best practice is to go to the countryside and stay as far away from artificial light sources as possible. People in the countryside may have the luxury of going out. But city dwellers also have options.

Many cities have an astronomical community that maintains a special area of ​​dark skies. “I suggest you contact them and find out where they are,” said Robert Lunsford, secretary general of the International Meteor Organization.

Meteor showers are usually best seen after midnight, when the sky is the darkest, but before sunrise. To see as many meteors as possible, wait 30 to 45 minutes after reaching your viewing location. This will allow your eyes to get used to the dark. Then sit back and see the vast expanse of the night sky. Clear nights, higher altitudes, and when the moon is weak or absent are best. Mr. Lunsford offered a good rule of thumb: “The more stars you can see, the more meteors you can see.”

Binoculars or telescopes are not necessary for meteor showers and will actually limit your view.