Lyrid meteor shower peaks tonight with up to 20 shooting stars per hour

The annual Lyrid meteor shower will reach its peak between Tuesday and Thursday nights, offering up to 20 shooting stars per hour under optimal conditions, Dagbladet reports.

Astrophysicist Knut Jørgen Røed Ødegaard told Norwegian news agency NTB that the best viewing window is between midnight and 3 AM local time. “The Lyrids aren’t the brightest meteor shower, so dark skies are essential—urban light pollution will make them difficult to spot,” he said.

The phenomenon, first recorded over 2,500 years ago, originates from debris left by Comet Thatcher. While not the most intense shower, observers in dark areas may still see 10–20 meteors hourly. Southern Norway offers the best visibility, as northern regions experience increasingly bright summer nights that obscure the display.

“The peak is Wednesday night, but activity remains strong before and after,” Røed Ødegaard noted. “Shooting stars often come in bursts—minutes of nothing, then several in quick succession.”