This weekend, NASA scientists, amateur astronomers, and an astronaut on board the International Space Station will attempt the first-ever 3D photography of meteors from Earth and space. Read more
Mr. Nguyen Duc Phuong, from the Vietnam Astronomy and Space Association, says that the Lyrids meteor shower will be at the maximum at around 2am of April 22, with around 20 meteors per hour. Read more
The next meteor shower is the Lyrids, around April 21-22. It typically produces 10 to 15 meteorites per hour. Its falling stars are material left over from Comet C/1861 G1. A larger meteor shower will occur around May 5-6. The Eta Aquarids typically produces 40 to 85 meteorites per hour. Its meteorites come from Halley's Comet. Read more
Title: All-Sky Video Orbits of Lyrids 2009 Authors: Juraj Tóth, Leonard Korno, Peter Vere, Jirí ilha, Duan Kalmancok, Pavol Zigo, Jozef Világi
We report observational results of the Lyrid meteor shower observed by the double station all-sky video system in the night of April 21/22, 2009 at the Astronomical and Geophysical Observatory of the Comenius University in Modra and Arboretum, Tesarske Mly\v{n}any, Slovakia. This observation was the first test of the double stations and orbit determination method within the frame of the new Slovak Video Meteor Network (SVMN). We present the whole set of 17 observed orbits of Lyrids as well as the five most precise orbits in detail form. The comparison with the known datasets, precise photographic IAU MDC and SonotaCo video orbits, demonstrate quite good consistency and similar quality.
Skywatchers are hoping for an impressive show over the next two days, when the Lyrid meteor shower reaches its peak. Between 10 and 20 meteors per hour can be visible under ideal conditions; but experts say the shower is fickle. Light from the Moon, which is in a so-called gibbous phase, could interfere with observations this year. Read more
A slight rise in Lyrid meteor numbers now showing.
The peak this year is between 15:30 UT, 22nd to 02:30 UT, 23rd April. Observers in the eastern hemisphere will be ideally located. Unfortunately a waning gibbous moon will washout the fainter Lyrids this year. North America and European observers can expect only 5 meteors per hour.
People in the northern hemisphere, including Greece, will be treated to a celestial 'fireworks' show this week, as the Lyrid meteor shower peaks on April 22, Earth Day, with the greatest visibility between Friday night and just before dawn Saturday. Read more
The annual Lyrid meteor shower is visible from about 16-25 April and this year peaks 21-22 April. The Lyrids are not generally among the most spectacular showers, and usually only produce between 5-20 meteors per hour. However, occasionally the Earth passes through a thicker part of the comet's dust stream resulting in a more intense shower or 'meteor storm'. In 1982 amateur astronomers counted 90 Lyrid meteors per hour, and in 1803 an even stronger storm was observed. The Lyrids were also observed as far back as 687 BC as recorded in the Chinese 'Zuo Zhuan' or Chronicle of Zuo, making them the earliest-known meteor shower. Read more