BILLINGS — The Lyrid Meteor Shower will be visible tonight.
Conditions are close to ideal with the shower's peak coinciding with a new Moon
Caused by debris left behind by comet C/1861 G1 Thatcher traveling about 30 miles per second through the atmosphere, the Lyrids tend to be dimmer than other showers.
The best time to look is a few hours before sunrise, when that radiant point is highest in the sky exposing the most sky real estate where meteors might be.
Ten to 15 meteors per hour from a rural location is a reasonable expectation, half that from the suburbs. Some experts think there could be an outburst this year, with more visible meteors than usual.
Look to the darkest part of your sky, away from artificial lights.
The first recorded sighting of Lyrid meteors was in 687 BC!
