Lyrids: “rain” of shooting stars on Good Friday

The Lyrids, the first significant spring meteor shower this year, will peak in the skies of Earth’s northern hemisphere on the night of Good Friday to Good Saturday.

The falling stars period usually lasts from April 16 to April 25. It is estimated that at the peak of their activity, they enter the Earth’s atmosphere, burning up (up to 20 meteors per hour).

Sometimes lyrids are bright “shooting stars” with long tails that remain visible in the sky for several seconds (you can make a wish). In fact, in some years the number of “shooting stars” even exceeded 100 per hour, according to the publication. dikaiologitika.gr.

The Lyrids originate in the dust trail of Comet Thatcher, through which the Earth passes each year in April. Previously, a swarm of lyrids gave quite powerful meteor showers – at the peak, up to a thousand “stars” per hour fell to Earth. This year, according to experts, the stream will be average (average fallout density at a maximum of 10-15 meteors per hour). Historically, the Lyrid meteor shower has been traced for 2,500 years.

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