LYRID METEOR SHOWER IN OUR DESERT SKY THIS WEEKEND

One of the best meteor showers of the year coincides with Earth Day this year. Morongo Basin residents will have a good view of the 2018 Lyrid meteor shower lighting up the sky. The annual Lyrid meteor shower started last weekend and will continue through the end of April, though peak viewing hours will begin in the evening this Saturday (April 21) and extend through Sunday morning (April 22), Earth Day. During its peak, the Lyrid meteor shower is expected to bring up to 20 meteors per hour. While meteors may be spotted late Saturday, light from the waxing moon may interfere with visibility. After the moon sets at around midnight local time, visibility should improve, and stargazers should be able to see meteors during the few hours before sunrise on Earth Day The showers emanate from the constellation of Lyra; its principal star, Vega, is the third brightest star in the northern hemisphere. For best viewing, face toward the northern half of the sky with the moon at your back. This will allow you to see the fainter Lyrids, which will be more numerous than the bright ones.