Eyes on the Skies, Palm Desert : Lyrid Meteor Shower Peaks This Week

Photo: Meteor shower. Credit: Jet Propulsion Lab, NASA.

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By Bea Karnes (Patch Staff)

Stargazers will get a treat this week when the annual Lyrid Meteor Shower sends streaks across the night sky.

The meteor shower is expected to peak Wednesday night and Thursday morning with 10 to 20 meteors per hour. After the moon sets, the sky is expected to be perfect for meteor gazing.

Lyrid meteors can be especially beautiful, according to EarthSky, “Another beautiful feature of the Lyrids to watch for … about one quarter of these swift meteors exhibit persistent trains – that is, ionized gas trails that glow for a few seconds after the meteor has passed.”

If you’re not able to get away from city lights, or skies are overcast, the Slooh Community Observatory will broadcast the meteor shower from its Canary Islands Observatory beginning at 5 p.m. PDT Wednesday.