Open Space Beckons Lyrid Meteor Showers Viewing

Open Space Beckons Lyrid Meteor Showers Viewing

  • Posted by Barrington Hills
  • On April 21, 2020

The stage is set! No travel required and no equipment needed (…maybe a reclining chair to avoid a kink in your neck)!  The Lyrid Meteor Showers are due to peak tonight.  Our unique-to-Barrington Hills zoning provides the perfect environment to enjoy the meteor shower! 

“After about 30 minutes in the dark, your eyes will adapt and you will begin to see meteors,” says NASA. “Be patient—the show will last until dawn, so you have plenty of time to catch a glimpse.”  Experts say viewers can expect to see 10-20 meteor showers an hour.

Look for the bright star Vega, the fifth brightest star in the sky, to rise in the northeast after 10 PM. It won’t appear directly overhead until just before dawn. The Lyrids’ name comes from the fact that meteors appear to emanate from the constellation Lyra, which includes Vega.  Sciencealert.com shares “a good rule of thumb is to actually look off to either side of the shower radiant, to catch the meteors in profile.” 

Enjoy!