The Lyrid meteor shower is nearing peak activity! Here’s the best time to hunt for shooting stars as well as a guide on where to find them in the spring sky so you can maximize your chances of spotting these fast-moving meteors.<\/p>\n
When are the Lyrids most active?<\/p>\n In 2026, the Lyrid meteor shower<\/a> is active from April 16-25 and reaches peak activity around 4 p.m. EDT (2000 GMT) on April 22 during the day for viewers in the U.S., according to the American Meteor Society<\/a> (AMS).<\/p>\n <\/p>\n If you’re watching from the U.S., your best time for spotting Lyrid shooting stars<\/a> is during the hours preceding dawn on April 22, when up to 18 meteors<\/a> may be seen each hour blazing away from an apparent point of origin, or radiant, located close to the bright star Vega<\/a> in the constellation Lyra. <\/p>\n You may like<\/p>\n The radiant rises to its highest point \u2014 when the most meteors will be visible \u2014 in the hours before sunrise.<\/p>\n As a bonus, the 27%-lit waxing moon will set below the horizon around 2 a.m. local time. That should provide a beautifully dark night sky upon which the natural light show can stand out. The shower will also spawn a decent number of meteors on the three nights surrounding the peak, so there’s no need to despair if you miss the show on April 22!<\/p>\n Where to find Lyrid meteors<\/p>\n We see Lyrid meteors as Earth<\/a> passes through the debris stream left behind by the wandering comet<\/a> C\/1861 G1 Thatcher. The shower’s radiant indicates the direction from which the meteors strike Earth’s atmosphere<\/a>. So, if you stare directly at the radiant, you won’t get to see the shooting stars with the longest trains.<\/p>\n To find the best Lyrids, locate the blue-white light of Vega \u2014 and with it the approximate position of the radiant \u2014 shining high above the eastern horizon after the moon has set on April 22. Be sure to use a handy smartphone astronomy app<\/a> to help point the way if you’re not used to navigating the night sky. Many of these apps actually use augmented reality technology to pinpoint specific stars and deep sky objects, which makes the sometimes daunting prospect of finding your way about the starry sky a breeze.<\/p>\n Next, search for a clear patch of sky about 40 degrees away from the radiant \u2014 40 degrees being roughly the width of four clenched fists held at arm’s length. This is where the most spectacular shooting stars and fireballs can appear.<\/p>\n How to maximize your chances<\/p>\n