A Meteor Shower And Blood Moon Is Almost Upon Us

Meteor Showers are usually in low supply during the first few months of every year. But that is about to change, according to EarthSky.org. During April 16th and the 25th will be the Lyrid meteor shower which is known to be rather bright and leaving tails.

Stardate.org describes a meteor shower as a spike in the number of shooting stars that cross the night sky. During their peak, there could be ten to twenty meteors per hour, and possible surges of up to 100 miles per hour, although that is not very common. This year, the peak time for the Lyrid meteor shower will be the morning of April 22nd, according to Earthsky.org.

The Lyrid meteor shower gets its name from its nearest constellation with which it coincides, which is Lyra. This is true for how all meteor showers get their names. Such as the Leonoid meteor shower is in the constellation Leo, and the Perseid meteor shower is in the constellation Perseus, according to Stardate.org.

There are several ways to improve your chances of viewing the meteor shower, as per Stardate.org. Your best odds are to drive away from any city lights and determine the location of the constellation you will be observing. The location you select should also be free from the occasional headlights from cars which could obscure your sensitive vision at night.

Your best position would be lying down so that your peripheral vision is consumed with the stars and the sky so that the meteor shower will grab your attention as it streaks past.

If you are wondering if it is dark enough to see the meteor shower, Stardate.org says if you can see the Little Dipper then you are in prime condition to see a meteor shower flash by.

Be sure to also keep in mind that on April 15th is the night to see the “Blood Moon” according to Al.com. This is an eclipse which will take place around 2 am in which the moon will appear to be blood red. According to Kqed.org, the red color “comes from the rays of sunlight peeking around the edges of Earth, through its atmosphere. Colors with a shorter wavelength, like the blues, scatter as they hit Earth’s atmosphere, whereas colors with longer wavelengths like red, bend and reach the moon, casting a reddish glow across its surface.”

April should prove to be an interesting month in the night sky. Be sure to mark your calendars so you don’t miss out.