2 hours Ago By Rachel Duensing
RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — Monday night into early Tuesday morning (April 21 to April 22) is the peak of the Lyrid meteor shower.
The best time to view meteors will be after midnight through 6 a.m.There's the possibility of up to 15 meteors per hour, with what's considered "perfect conditions" which means no light pollution, no brightness from the moon, and a totally clear, open sky.
Realistically, five to 10 per hour is more likely this year, especially with the brightness of the moon possibly drowning some of those meteors out.Best viewing practices: get away from light pollution from buildings and light pollution from the moon. Make sure to be patient as it can take up to 30 minutes for your eyes to fully adjust to the dark.
That means you should give yourself at minimum one hour of viewing time to give yourself your best chance, and also remember meteors can come in bursts.For something a little different — Have you seen a rumor about the moon and planets making a smiley face in the sky?So here's the truth behind that rumor: Early Friday morning, the moon will be a tiny sliver with Venus and Saturn on either side. So it does kind of make a smiley face, but only if you turn your head to the side.
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