Every April, as winter’s grip finally loosens and the nights grow a little warmer, Earth drifts through a centuries-old cloud of cosmic dust. That’s when the Lyrid meteor shower — one of the oldest known and most reliable meteor showers of the year — lights up the night.
The Lyrids will peak overnight from April 21, 2025 into April 22, 2025. On the days near that peak, patient skywatchers may be treated to a modest but mesmerizing display of shooting stars streaking across the sky. Whether you’re a seasoned stargazer or just looking for a reason to stay up late, here’s everything you need to know about catching the annual celestial show.
What Is the Lyrid Meteor Shower?
The Lyrid meteor shower is one of the oldest meteor showers on record. Ancient Chinese astronomers documented it as far back as 687 B.C.E., noting how the "stars fell like rain" in the spring sky. What they witnessed were actually bits of dust and debris shed by Comet C/1861 G1 (Thatcher). The comet takes about 415 years to orbit the Sun, but Earth crosses its dusty orbital trail every April.
