Lyrid meteor shower to light up sky

From April 16 to 25, the Lyrid meteor shower will be observable, AzerNEWS reports.

Commonly known as a "shooting star" event, this phenomenon occurs when Earth, moving through space, passes through debris left behind by a comet. These tiny particles enter the atmosphere and burn up, creating bright streaks in the sky.

The Astrophysics Department of the Physics Faculty at Baku State University states that the peak activity of the Lyrids will take place on the night of April 21–22.

During this time, an average of 10–20 meteors per hour can be seen, though occasionally the rate may be higher. The meteors enter Earth’s atmosphere at extremely high speeds around 49 km per second, producing brief but bright trails.

The source of the Lyrid meteor shower is the comet C/1861 G1 (Thatcher). It was discovered in 1861 by American astronomer A. E. Thatcher and has a very long orbital period of about 415 years around the Sun. As the comet approaches the Sun, it leaves behind a trail of dust and small particles. Each year, when Earth passes through this trail, the particles burn up in the atmosphere, creating the Lyrid meteor shower. The comet itself is rarely visible and is not expected to return until around 2276.

In 2026, the meteor shower will also be visible in Baku and surrounding areas. Since Baku is located in the Northern Hemisphere, the Lyrids can be observed quite well there.

The best viewing time is after midnight, especially between 00:00 and 05:00, when the radiant point in the Lyra constellation rises higher above the horizon. However, it is not necessary to focus on a single point, watching a wide area of the sky is more effective. To improve visibility, it is recommended to move away from city lights to darker areas, such as parts of the Absheron Peninsula.

This year, relatively low moonlight will provide favorable conditions for observation, allowing the meteors to appear more clearly in the night sky.