New Yorkers will be able to watch the brightest Lyrid meteor shower: where and when

“Falling like rain” is how the Chinese described the Lyrid meteor showers in 687 BC. And every April, this stream appears in the constellation Lyra, next to the bright star Vega, reports Gothamist

The city lights make it nearly impossible to see this impressive natural light show. So New Yorkers need to get as far away from the city as possible to enjoy the best views. The Lyrid meteor shower began on April 15, will peak on Earth Day on April 22, and end on the 29th.

“You can observe this beauty with the naked eye, leaning back on a blanket or lounge chair,” said Bart Fried, executive vice president of the Association of Amateur Astronomers of New York, “Binoculars and telescopes are useless for detecting fast-moving shooting stars.”

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This cosmic rain is debris from Comet Thatcher, which is in its short solar orbit of 417 years. The next full appearance of the comet should occur in 2278. But its lingering dust continues to visit Earth every year.

The best night for skywatching is the late evening of April 22nd and all night until dawn. There will be less moonlight during this time. And you will have a chance to see the waning moon along with Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn in the predawn sky.

“Be sure to look east an hour before sunrise to see this celestial dance,” said Kat Trosh, co-host of the AAA SKY astronomy podcast.