How to locate the showers of meteors Lyrids and ETA Aquarids 2025

The showers of meteors Lyrids and ETA Aquarids will soon appear in the night sky. This year, they will start to become visible a few days from each other in April, the brilliant lyrides culminating in the night between April 21 and April 22 and the ETA aquarids culminating between midnight and dawn on May 5.

What is the Lyrids Meteor shower?

The lyrics result from pieces of debris from the comet thatcher interacting with the atmosphere of the earth and finally disintegrate to become the bright streaks of light that we see in the night sky. The radiant of the meteor shower – the place in the night sky from which the meteors seem to radiate – is in the constellation of the northern Lyra hemisphere, which contains the Brilliant star Vega. People have been identifying lyrides for at least 2,700 years. “Lyrides are perhaps the smallest of major showers,” says Margaret Campbell-Brun at Western University in Canada. “The prices are not as high as most other meteor showers, but sometimes have a lot of brilliant meteors.”

When is the Lyrids Meteor shower?

This year, lyrides are active from April 17 to April 26. Their peak activity occurs on the night of April 21 and is the most visible just before dawn on April 22.

How can you increase your chances of seeing lyrides?

Lyrides can be better seen from the northern hemisphere of the earth in dark hours just before dawn. Meteors will generally appear as quick light streaks and can sometimes create a shiny flash. You can expect to see about five or six meteors every hour a typical night and up to 10 to 20 meteors during the peak. The Lyra constellation is below the horizon for most viewers of the southern hemisphere, but lyrides can still be seen in more limited numbers. “There will be a little moon this year, but if there are a lot of brilliant meteors, it doesn't matter as much,” said Campbell-Brown.

What is the Meteor shower of ETA aquarids?

The meteors of the ETA aquarids are icy and rocky debris originally paid by the comet of Halley who end up reaching the atmosphere of the earth and disintegrating in an ardent night display. The radiation of the shower is near ETA Aquarii, which is one of the brightest stars of the Aquarius of the Constellation. “These are a very interesting shower, producing solid explosions for a few years,” said Campbell-Brown. But this year will probably have a more moderate activity, she said.

When is the meteor shower of the ETA aquarids?

This year, ETA aquarids can be seen between April 20 and May 28. The best time of vision will be during their peak period between midnight and dawn on May 5.

How can you increase your chances of seeing ETA aquarids?

The southern hemisphere offers the best opportunity for observation for ETA aquarids. It is also visible in the northern hemisphere but much lower in the night sky, so the observers of the sky will have to look towards the horizon to see the meteors. “The radiant shower only rises a few hours before dawn in the northern hemisphere, and it is very light when it is high in the sky, so observers have only a small window to see the meteors,” said Campbell-Brown. ETA aquarids can also sometimes leave brilliant dust trains in their wake which seem visible for several seconds, even a few minutes, she said. You can expect to see around 10 to 30 meteors per hour from the northern hemisphere and around 30 meteors per hour in the southern hemisphere.

Meteor advice from an astronomer

Your best bet is to get out of the city to find a place with the darkest possible sky, explains Campbell-Brown. It recommends bringing a star card to help locate the constellations where each showers of meteors will occur, as well as a tilting lawn chair or a campsite mattress. Dressing warmly is also a good idea because you will not move much.

“Where in the sky, you look is not important; The rates can be a little higher if you look towards the radiant – which, for these two showers, will increase in the east – but wherever the sky is dark and clear, that's good, “she said.

Keep in mind that some of the meteors you see will not necessarily be of these specific meteor showers. But for the two showers of meteors, the best vision opportunities will occur well after sunset in several hours before Dawn, explains Campbell-Brown.