Lyrid meteor shower to light up the Hungarian sky after Easter!
In the second half of April, one of the year’s most spectacular celestial events returns: the Lyrid meteor shower. Active from 14 to 30 April, the shower will peak this year in the early hours of Monday, 22 April—just after Easter. The forecasted peak time is at 3:30 PM, making the night of 21 April into the early morning hours of 22 April the best window for viewing, especially just before dawn.
The Lyrids can reach a zenithal hourly rate (ZHR) of 18, but surprise bursts often occur, boosting the meteor count significantly. Forecasts suggest that under optimal conditions, skywatchers could see as many as 90 meteors per hour this year. To increase the chances of catching the show, it’s best to find a spot away from light pollution and keep a patient eye on the sky—bright fireballs are also known to appear during the Lyrids.
According to the Svábhegy Observatory, the meteors originate from the Lyra constellation, which rises in the eastern sky around 9 PM. The best time to watch is just before dawn, lasting until the moon—at 39% illumination—rises around 3:30 AM. Fortunately, the moon will remain low enough on the horizon not to interfere with visibility.
The Lyrid meteor shower is linked to Comet C/1861 G1 (Thatcher), discovered by American astronomer Alfred E. Thatcher in 1861. With an orbital period of 417 years, the comet is a rare visitor to the inner solar system—it was last seen in 1861 and won’t return until around 2283. As Earth passes through the trail of debris left behind, the particles of dust and ice burn up in the atmosphere, creating the meteor shower.
What makes the Lyrids especially noteworthy is that they are one of the oldest recorded meteor showers in history.
Chinese records mention the event as far back as 687 BC, describing a night so filled with meteors that it looked like “stars were falling like rain.”
If you have the chance, don’t miss this historic spectacle. This year’s experience will be even more striking thanks to Venus, which will shine at its brightest on the morning of 22 April, just before 5 AM—providing a stunning celestial backdrop to the meteor show.
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