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The Lyrid meteor bathe peaks tonight (April 21). And, in the event you spot any Lyrid meteors, you’ve gotten one thing cool in frequent with an astronaut!
What is it?
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The Lyrids are made up of bits of debris trailing the long-period comet C/1861 G1 Thatcher, which was discovered in 1861. Long-period comets have very long orbital periods, taking hundreds of years or more to orbit the sun.
Every year around this time, Earth passes through this comet’s debris field. Pieces of it burn up in our atmosphere, creating the spectacular meteors that streak across the sky.
The shower produces up to 15 to 20 Lyrid meteors per hour. You can see the Lyrids radiating from around the constellation Lyra (hence their name). If you can, find dark skies for optimal viewing.
In a photograph snapped from aboard the ISS, Meir revealed that she was able to see a Lyrid meteor shower lighting up the dark night skies over Earth.
Have you seen any shooting stars lately? We’re in the midst of the Lyrid Meteor shower, and I was lucky enough to photograph some from the @Space_Station cupola. The Lyrids are an annual event best viewed in the Northern Hemisphere by looking toward the constellation Lyra in the… pic.twitter.com/B2FqMdEuqsApril 20, 2026
Why is it unbelievable?
This {photograph} is a lot extra than simply proof of a profitable meteor bathe watch.
It is a surprising visible reminder that our planet is protected by a surprisingly skinny environment. As Meir shared in her publish, you’ll be able to see beneath the horizon the place the meteor is streaking.
The expertise of residing in house aboard the ISS is exclusive for thus many causes. But what a exceptional second, for astronauts in house to have the ability to look down at their dwelling planet and watch our environment work together with a comet like this.
This web page was created programmatically, to learn the article in its authentic location you’ll be able to go to the hyperlink bellow:
https://www.space.com/space-exploration/human-spaceflight/astronauts-photograph-lyrid-meteor-shower-from-iss-space-photo-of-the-day-for-april-21-2026
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