Every April, the Lyrid meteor shower returns to our skies, offering lucky stargazers the chance to glimpse fireballs zipping across the sky.
While it’s not the most prolific meteor display of the year, the Lyrids are a welcome treat for stargazers – especially after the long, meteor-shower-less months of late winter.
Here’s everything you need to know about the Lyrids in 2025, including when to look up, what to expect and how to get the best view.
When is the Lyrid meteor shower 2025?
The Lyrids will be active from 15–25 April 2025, with peak activity expected on the night of 22 April into the early hours of 23 April.
Your best bet is still to head out during the pre-dawn hours of 23 April, when the radiant point (the part of the sky the meteors appear to come from) is highest.
Where to look to see the Lyrids
The Lyrids radiate from the constellation Lyra, near the bright star Vega, one of the easiest stars to spot in the northern hemisphere.
Look east or northeast after midnight, and let your eyes sweep the sky – meteors can appear in any direction, not just near the radiant.
You don’t need a telescope or binoculars. In fact, it’s better to view meteor showers with the naked eye so you can take in as much of the sky as possible.
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How many meteors will I see?
Under dark, moonless skies, the Lyrids typically produce 10–15 meteors per hour – although sudden bursts can produce up to 100!
The Lyrids are known for being quick and occasionally bright, with the odd fireball thrown in for good measure.
The Moon around this time will be just past its third quarter, so it will be quite bright when it rises. Thankfully, this won’t be until around 4:00am (in the US and UK), meaning you’ll get a good few hours of unobstructed meteor watching.
What causes the Lyrid meteor shower?
The Lyrid meteors are caused by Earth passing through a trail of debris left by Comet Thatcher – a long-period comet that orbits the Sun roughly every 415 years. It last reached its closest approach to the Sun in 1861, so there's a long time to wait before it comes our way again (around the year 2276).
As bits of comet dust and rock hit our atmosphere at high speeds (about 50 km/s), they burn up, creating the streaks of light we see from the ground.
The Lyrids are actually one of the oldest recorded meteor showers – Chinese astronomers observed them more than 2,600 years ago.
Tips for viewing the Lyrids
Catching a meteor shower isn’t complicated, but a few smart strategies can make all the difference.
- Find a dark spot well away from city lights – the less light pollution, the better.
- Give your eyes time to adjust to the dark. It can take 20–30 minutes to see the sky at its best.
- Dress warmly, even in spring. Early morning temperatures can be chilly.
- Lie back on a blanket or reclining chair so you can comfortably scan the sky.
- Be patient – meteor showers come in bursts, and it may take time to catch a good one.
If you’re having trouble finding the bit of sky you need, technology can help. “Star map apps like Sky Guide, Star Walk 2, or Stellarium can help you locate Vega and Lyra in the sky using your phone,” says Dr Shyam Balaji, a researcher in astroparticle physics and cosmology at King’s College London.
“Many apps use augmented reality, so you can just point your phone at the sky and it will show you where to look.”
Is this the best meteor shower of the year?
Not quite – that title usually goes to the Perseids in August or the Geminids in December, which can produce over 100 meteors per hour.
But the Lyrids are the first decent meteor shower of the year for northern hemisphere observers, and they can be surprisingly dramatic.
Plus, for those in the UK, they arrive during the school holidays – so if the skies are clear, it’s a perfect excuse to stay up late and do some family stargazing.
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