Skip to content
Vatican Observatory
  • About
    • Overview
    • Team
    • FAQ
  • Telescopes
    • Overview
    • Telescope Images
  • Tours
    • Castel Gandolfo
    • U.S.
  • Latest
    • Overview
    • Resources
    • Press
    • Audio
    • Video
    • Research
    • Authors
      • FAQs
    • Newsletter
    • Tucson Meteor Cameras
  • Podcast
  • Education
    • Overview
    • Resource Center
    • Image Gallery
    • Summer School
    • Books
    • Software
    • Additional Resources
    • ACME
  • Shop
  • Calendar
    • View our Event Calendar
  • Donate
    • Donate Now
    • Smart Ways to Give
    • Sacred Space Astronomy
      • View Content
    • Bequests / Trusts
    • The Foundation
      • Newsletters
      • Annual Reports
  • Press
    • VO in the News
    • Press Kit
  • Specola Vaticana
  • Contact
    • Contact
  • About
    • Overview
    • Team
    • FAQ
  • Telescopes
    • Overview
    • Telescope Images
  • Tours
    • Castel Gandolfo
    • U.S.
  • Latest
    • Overview
    • Resources
    • Press
    • Audio
    • Video
    • Research
    • Authors
      • FAQs
    • Newsletter
    • Tucson Meteor Cameras
  • Podcast
  • Education
    • Overview
    • Resource Center
    • Image Gallery
    • Summer School
    • Books
    • Software
    • Additional Resources
    • ACME
  • Shop
  • Calendar
    • View our Event Calendar
  • Donate
    • Donate Now
    • Smart Ways to Give
    • Sacred Space Astronomy
      • View Content
    • Bequests / Trusts
    • The Foundation
      • Newsletters
      • Annual Reports
  • Press
    • VO in the News
    • Press Kit
  • Specola Vaticana
  • Contact
    • Contact

Lyrids Meteor Shower 2018

By Robert Trembley  |  16 Apr 2018

Share:
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on LinkedIn
  • Share via Email
Lyrids Meteor Shower Radiant Lyrids Meteor Shower Radiant. Credit: Stellarium

The Lyrids meteor shower is a medium strength shower that typically produces good rates for three nights centered on the maximum. These meteors usually lack persistent trails, but have been known to produce fireballs. This shower is best seen from the northern hemisphere, where the radiant is high in the dawn sky. This shower can be seen from the southern hemisphere, but at a lower rate.

40.4% Waxing Crescent Moon. Credit: Stellarium

Peak: April 21-22nd
Active from: April 16th to April 25th
Radiant: 18:04 +34° (see image above)
Hourly Rate: 18
Velocity: 30 miles/sec (medium – 48.4km/sec)
Parent Object: C/1861 G1 (Thatcher)
Source: American Meteor Society

The Moon will be a waxing crescent, nearing first quarter. The Moon will set around 2:00 AM, so it should not hinder meteor observing from 3:00-5:00 AM.

Here are a couple images of the orbit of the meteor shower’s parent body: comet C/1861 G1 (Thatcher). Note how the comet’s aphelion is way out past Neptune at 55.68 AU, and the perihelion is very near Earth’s orbit at 0.92 AU. It takes this comet 415 years to complete one orbit the Sun.

Here is an interactive visualization of the meteoroid stream from comet C/1861 G1 (Thatcher).

Meteor. Credit: Creative Commons, CC BY 3.0
Share:
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on LinkedIn
  • Share via Email

Sacred Space Astronomy

The Vatican Observatory’s official digital community and online magazine.

Become a Member

Recent Posts

Astronomy & Space Science Education & Public Outreach Newsletter – June 2025, Part 2

By Dr. Larry Lebofsky  |  18 Jun 2025  |  Sacred Space Astronomy

Protecting Freedom of Science and Preventing Distortion of Scientific Truth

By Robert Trembley  |  18 Jun 2025  |  Sacred Space Astronomy

Pope quotes great Scripture verse to young astronomers

Aleteia — Catholic Spirituality, Lifestyle, World News, and Culture  |  18 Jun 2025  |  Press

From the Vatican Observatory Faith and Science pages (Younger Readers) — The Riddle of the Tongue-Stones: How Blessed Nicolas Steno Uncovered the Hidden History of the Earth

By Faith and Science  |  18 Jun 2025  |  Sacred Space Astronomy

Archives

      • June
      • May
      • April
      • March
      • February
      • January
      • December
      • November
      • October
      • September
      • August
      • July
      • June
      • May
      • April
      • March
      • February
      • January
      • December
      • November
      • October
      • September
      • August
      • July
      • June
      • May
      • April
      • March
      • February
      • January
      • December
      • November
      • October
      • September
      • August
      • July
      • June
      • May
      • April
      • March
      • February
      • January
      • December
      • November
      • October
      • September
      • August
      • July
      • June
      • May
      • April
      • March
      • February
      • January
      • December
      • November
      • October
      • September
      • August
      • July
      • June
      • May
      • April
      • March
      • February
      • January
      • December
      • November
      • October
      • September
      • August
      • July
      • June
      • May
      • April
      • March
      • February
      • January
      • December
      • November
      • October
      • September
      • August
      • July
      • June
      • May
      • April
      • March
      • February
      • January
      • December
      • November
      • October
      • September
      • August
      • July
      • June
      • May
      • April
      • March
      • February
      • January
      • December
      • November
      • October
      • September
      • August
      • July
      • June
      • May
      • April
      • March
      • February
      • January
      • December
      • November
      • October
      • September
      • August
      • July
      • June
      • May
      • April
      • March
      • February
      • January
      • December
      • November
      • August
      • June
      • March
      • January
      • November
      • October
      • December
      • November
      • April
      • May
      • January
      • December
      • September
      • May
      • March
      • December
      • November
      • February

More Posts by
Robert Trembley

Protecting Freedom of Science and Preventing Distortion of Scientific Truth

By Robert Trembley  |  18 Jun 2025  |  Sacred Space Astronomy

Pope quotes great Scripture verse to young astronomers

Aleteia — Catholic Spirituality, Lifestyle, World News, and Culture  |  18 Jun 2025  |  Press

Pope Leo: James Webb telescope shows us what the Bible couldn’t

The Times  |  17 Jun 2025  |  Press

Introducing Saige Wilson – our 2025 social media summer intern

By Robert Trembley  |  17 Jun 2025  |  Sacred Space Astronomy

Vera Rubin to be featured on 2025 U.S. Quarter

By Robert Trembley  |  17 Jun 2025  |  Sacred Space Astronomy

Exploring the cosmos fills us with wonder, Pope tells scientists – Vatican News

Vatican News  |  16 Jun 2025  |  Press

View More

Newsletter

Upcoming astronomical events, scientific breakthroughs, philosophical reflections… just a few reasons to subscribe to our newsletter!

Vatican Observatory
  • About
  • Telescopes
  • Tours
  • Latest
  • Podcast
  • Education
  • Shop
  • Calendar
  • Donate
  • Press
  • Specola Vaticana
  • Contact
Privacy Policy  |   Cookie Policy  |   Disclosure Statement  |   This website is supported by the Vatican Observatory Foundation

Podcast:

  • Apple Podcasts Listen onApple Podcasts
  • Spotify Listen onSpotify
  • Google Podcasts Listen onGoogle Podcasts
  • Stitcher Listen onStitcher
  • Amazon Alexa Listen onAmazon Alexa
  • TuneIn Listen onTuneIn
Made by Longbeard