Shower to bring ‘fast and bright’ meteors to the Kansas sky soon. Here’s when to see it
Hoping to get outdoors this weekend? If so, you’ll have a chance to catch one of the oldest known meteor showers in the sky.
The Lyrids meteor shower will be visible across the Northern Hemisphere in late April as the beloved natural phenomenon makes its annual return to the night sky. The meteor shower has been studied for more than 2,000 years and was first recorded by the Chinese in 687 B.C., according to NASA.
“The Lyrids are known for their fast and bright meteors,” the space agency’s website reads. “Lyrids don’t tend to leave long, glowing dust trains behind them as they streak through Earth’s atmosphere, but they can produce the occasional bright flash called a fireball.”
Here’s what you need to know if you hope to see these meteors in Kansas when they hit their peak this weekend.
How to see the Lyrids in Kansas
While it’s rare to spot these meteors at their peak, they aren’t too hard to find. The Lyrids are active from April 15 through 29 this year, but they are expected to peak April 22 and 23.
The meteor shower is best observed in the Northern Hemisphere during dark hours, particularly after moonset and before dawn, according to NASA. Generally, you’ll have a better view if you move away from cities and streetlights that emit light pollution.
NASA recommends stargazing by lying flat on your back with your feet facing east. It might take up to 30 minutes for your eyes to adjust to the dark sky, so be patient when looking for meteors whizzing past.
Meteors spotted among the Lyrids travel at approximately 29 miles per second, NASA says. Meteor counts at peak activity generally sit near 18 per hour, but rare occasions could result in hundreds appearing in a relatively short period.
Wichita’s stargazing forecast
Finding them is easy, but actually viewing these meteors during their peak period may be a challenge.
AccuWeather is currently forecasting poor stargazing conditions for the greater Wichita area Saturday and Sunday. Cloud cover is expected to hover around 50%, and projected low temperatures in the lower 40s and mid-30s could keep prospective viewers indoors.
Thankfully, the moon is less of a problem. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Earth’s only natural satellite is in its new moon phase, which should minimize natural light in the sky.
What are meteors?
Meteors are, generally speaking, space debris that has entered Earth’s atmosphere. These objects usually burn up when flying across the sky at a high speed, but those that survive a trip through the atmosphere and land on the ground are called meteorites.
Don’t confuse meteors with asteroids, which are small, rocky objects that orbit the sun in space. Comets, meanwhile, also orbit the sun but are comprised primarily of ice and dust, NASA says.
This story was originally published April 21, 2023 at 3:18 PM with the headline "Shower to bring ‘fast and bright’ meteors to the Kansas sky soon. Here’s when to see it."
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