Two annual meteor showers have already started and will be visible nightly in Alabama now through April 28.
The Lyrids Meteor Shower is visible Friday night but will peak on the night between April 21 and April 22. This is an average shower with around 15 meteors per hour, although sometimes up to 100 an hour under clear conditions. The Lyrids can produce bright “dust trails” that can last for a few seconds, even producing bright fireballs. The Alabama moon will be at about 33%, waning crescent, so conditions for visibility should be favorable.
Alabama skywatchers can head out after midnight and look northwest. For those knowledgeable observers, the showers will be in the constellation Lyra. Best views will be closer to dawn when the radiant point will be higher in the sky.
The Lyrids are favored by skywatchers from midnight to dawn.
The π-Puppid meteor shower will be active from now through April 28 with a peak around April 23. Sightings should be active from dusk until around 11 p.m. Alabama observers should look to the west.
The π-Puppid showers are favored by skywatchers from sunset to about 11 p.m.
The best way for Alabama skywatchers to see a meteor shower is from a dark sky site, so it helps to get away from city lights as much as possible. Skywatchers should go to the darkest place they can, let their eyes adjust and look overhead — but avoid staring directly at the moon.
Jim ‘Zig’ Zeigler writes about Alabama’s people, places, events, groups and prominent deaths. He is a former Alabama Public Service Commissioner and State Auditor. You can reach him for comments at [email protected].
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