SC skies to glow with big meteor shower soon. Here’s when and how to watch
A free light show will flash over South Carolina skies later this month.
Every year, the Lyrids meteor shower sparks across the Northern Hemisphere in late April.
South Carolinians will have the chance to see some of those meteors from April 17-26. However, the peak chance to see the meteor shower will be on April 21-22, according to the American Meteor Society.
The Lyrids is one of the oldest known meteor showers, having been observed for 2,700 years, according to NASA.
“The Lyrids are known for their fast and bright meteors,” NASA states. “Though not as fast or as plentiful as the famous Perseids in August, Lyrids can surprise watchers with as many as 100 meteors seen per hour.”
However, typically, viewers will see 10 to 15 meteors per hour, according to earthsky.org.
When to watch
The Lyrids are best viewed during the dark hours after moonset and before dawn. This year, the moon will be a waning crescent during the meteor shower’s peak, Farmer’s Almanac states. For the best viewing of the meteors, look away from the moon and where it is illuminating the sky.
How to watch
To have the best chance and seeing some meteors, find an area away from city lights or street lights. Lie flat on your back with your feet facing east. Look up and take in as much of the sky as possible. Your eyes will adapt after about 30 minutes in the dark, allowing you to see the meteors.
Where do meteors come from?
Meteors come from leftover comet particles and bits from broken asteroids. A meteor shower occurs when the Earth crosses the path of a comet and collides with those particles, which burn up in the atmosphere.
The Lyrids meteors come from Thatcher, a long-period comet that was discovered in 1861 by astronomer A.E. Thatcher, according to space.com.
This story was originally published April 11, 2025 at 6:00 AM.
