Lyrids 2025: All You Need to Know about the April’s Best Meteor Shower
Finally, the annual meteor hiatus is over! The end of the January-April "dry" season is marked by the Lyrids, April's best meteor shower. Use the Sky Tonight app to find the best time for viewing these shooting stars, or read on for more details.
Contents
- Lyrid meteor shower 2025
- How to see the Lyrid meteor shower 2025?
- What is the Lyrid meteor shower?
- What causes the Lyrid meteor shower?
- The Lyrids 2025: Bottom line
Lyrid meteor shower 2025
When to watch in 2025
According to the International Meteor Organization, the peak is expected on April 22, 2025, at 13:30 GMT (remember to convert this time to your local time zone). The calculations are based on historical data collected by the IMO from 1988 to 2000. However, the timing can vary from year to year: recent observations have shown that the peak activity can occur anywhere between 10:30 to 18:00 GMT.
Moon phase in 2025
This year, the peak occurs one day after the Last Quarter Moon. The 37%-illuminated lunar disc will appear in the sky at dawn and won’t interfere much with the observations.
Where to look (radiant’s location)
The radiant of the Lyrids, the spot where the meteors seem to come from, is situated in the constellation Lyra. It becomes visible before midnight and reaches its highest point in the sky at dawn. The higher the radiant is in the sky, the more meteors you're likely to see. Use the Sky Tonight app to help you locate it effortlessly.
How many meteors to expect
Under ideal conditions, with no Moon, expect about 18 Lyrid meteors per hour. Occasionally they even burst with up to 100 meteors per hour! However, for 2025, there are no predictions about any increased activity.
View from the Northern Hemisphere
The April Lyrid meteors are visible from many sites north and south of the equator, however, they’re best viewed from the Northern Hemisphere. Start your observations from mid-northern sites after about 22:30 local time.
View from the Southern Hemisphere
From the mid-southern latitudes, the meteors are better visible well after midnight. There, the radiant point rises lower in the sky, so observers will see fewer Lyrid meteors.
How to see the Lyrid meteor shower 2025?
The Lyrids are active from April 14-30 each year, with a peak on April 21-22. During the peak, observers can see about 18 meteors per hour under perfect viewing conditions. Flying at the velocity of 49 kilometers per second, the Lyrid meteors often leave persistent dust trails and can produce bright fireballs. Here’s how to improve your chances of seeing the shooting stars:
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Find the dark, unobstructed sky. Meteors are best seen against the darker backdrop, so it’s best to get away from city lights. Also, they can appear anywhere in the sky (not necessarily near the radiant): the more sky you can see, the better. It's good when the view is not blocked by tall buildings or trees.
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Adapt to the darkness (at least 15-20 minutes). That way your eyes will be more sensitive to light and you'll be able to see dimmer meteors. Do not look at bright objects, like a fire or a phone screen, otherwise the desired effect will be lost.
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Patience pays off. Spend more hours observing to increase your chances. Be ready to give it at least an hour of your time.
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Get comfortable. Bring a blanket or chair, dress warmly, and pack a thermos with a hot drink to make your stargazing experience more enjoyable.
Remember, stargazing can be challenging, but it's worth the effort! Find even more meteor-hunting tips in our dedicated article.
Where to see the Lyrid meteor shower?
Generally, the observation window starts after the radiant point rises; the meteor shower is best seen when the radiant is highest in the sky. The Lyrids’ radiant point is located in the constellation Lyra, rather close to Vega, one of the brightest stars in the entire night sky. To find it in the sky, use the Sky Tonight app: type the “April Lyrids” in the search field and tap the target icon next to the correlating search result.
Don't be surprised by the "April" in the meteor shower's name! Although this shower is often referred to as the Lyrids for short, its official name is the April Lyrids. Being the most prolific meteor shower with the radiant in Lyra, it is not the only one. There are also the eta Lyrids, the June Lyrids, the mu Lyrids and many more.
During the observations, you don’t have to look directly at the radiant point — the meteors can appear anywhere in the sky. See how well-prepared you are for the meteor hunt with our fun and short quiz!
What is the Lyrid meteor shower?
The Lyrids are one of the oldest known meteor showers: it has been observed for 2700 years. The first recorded observation of these fast and bright meteors by the Chinese skygazers goes back to 687 BC!
Although the April Lyrid meteor shower is not as prolific as the famed August Perseids or the December Geminids, it can amaze observers with as many as 100 meteors per hour: such surges were observed in 1803, 1922, 1945, 1982, and 1985. It’s difficult to predict such outbursts, which are one of the reasons why the Lyrids are worth watching.
What causes the Lyrid meteor shower?
The constellation Lyra is not the source of the Lyrids; the radiant situated in the constellation only helps observers determine which shower they are watching on a particular night. The parent body of the Lyrid meteor shower is a long-period comet C/1861 G1 (Thatcher) discovered on April 5, 1861, by the amateur astronomer A. E. Thatcher. When our planet passes through the trail left by the comet, the pieces of dust and debris comprising it burn up in the terrestrial atmosphere, producing dazzling lights in the sky.
The Lyrids 2025: Bottom line
The Lyrid meteor shower is one of the best stargazing events of April. It delivers 10-20 meteors per hour at its peak and is known for periodic bursts of activity. Check out our dedicated article to see what other meteor showers are peaking this season. Also, try planning your perfect stargazing night with the apps Sky Tonight and Star Walk 2: use the meteor shower calendar, enjoy the beautiful shooting stars, take photos of them, and don’t forget to share them with us on social media.
Wishing you clear skies and happy stargazing!
