One of the oldest known meteor showers peaks this weekend. Here’s when to see it in PA

One of the oldest known meteor showers is back this April, and it’s expected to hit its peak this weekend.

The Lyrids meteor shower is generally visible throughout the entire Northern Hemisphere, according to NASA. The Lyrids were first observed in 687 B.C. and have been studied for more than 2,000 years.

“The Lyrids are known for their fast and bright meteors,” the space agency’s website reads. “Lyrids don’t tend to leave long, glowing dust trains behind them as they streak through Earth’s atmosphere, but they can produce the occasional bright flash called a fireball.”

If you hope to spot these meteors in the sky this weekend in Pennsylvania, here’s what you need to know.

Best practices for observing the Lyrids

This year, the Lyrids are active from April 15 through 29, but they are expected to peak April 22 and 23.

The meteor shower is best observed in the Northern Hemisphere during dark hours, after moonset and before dawn, NASA says. For the best results, try to find a spot that is far from cities or streetlights to help cut out light pollution that might tarnish your view.

Once you’ve found a spot, NASA recommends lying flat on your back with your feet facing east. Of course, you’ll want to make sure you’re paying attention to the night sky above you, too.

You might not notice any meteors or stars at first, but be patient. It might take your eyes at least 30 minutes to properly adapt to the dark sky. You’ll have plenty of time to see meteors while the showers last until dawn.

Meteors spotted among the Lyrids travel at approximately 29 miles per second, NASA says. Meteor counts at peak activity generally sit near 18 per hour, but hundreds can be seen on rare occasions.

State College’s stargazing forecast

This weekend could be a rough one for stargazing in Centre County if the current forecast holds.

AccuWeather is calling for partly cloudy conditions Saturday night and into Sunday morning. The weather agency’s stargazing forecast predicts approximately 96% cloud cover Saturday before lowering to 82% Sunday.

Thankfully, the moon is less of a problem. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Earth’s only natural satellite is in its new moon phase, which should minimize natural light in the sky and set the stage for the highly anticipated meteor shower.

What are meteors?

Simply put, meteors are just meteoroids — or space rocks — that have entered Earth’s atmosphere, usually burning up when flying across the sky at a high speed, NASA says. When these objects survive a trip through the atmosphere and hit the ground, they’re called meteorites.

Meteors are not to be confused with asteroids, which are small, rocky objects that orbit the sun way out in space. They are also not comets, which also orbit the sun but are composed primarily of ice and dust, NASA says.