Lyrid Meteor Shower 2026: How UK Stargazers Can Catch Its Brightest Show

Get ready to stargaze.

This April is a good month for stargazers. There’s the “planet parade” of Saturn, Mars, Mercury, and Neptune, ending on the 23rd.

And the Lyrid meteor shower, which started on 16 April and will end on the 25th, is set to show us its most dazzling display this week too.

What is the Lyrid meteor shower?

First recorded in 678 BE, the phenomenon includes debris which once followed in the wake of comet C/1861 G1 Thatcher.

They look from the Earth’s perspective like they’re shooting from the constellation Lyra, right beside the star Vega; hence the name.

It’s not exactly that they’re “shooting” towards from across space, though. We’re passing through the patch of space rubble in our journey around the sun, and we draw in some of the material as we do so.

That means the path of the Earth’s orbit determines the direction the meteors seem to come from.

When they enter our atmosphere, the objects move so fast that they compress the air and heat it, raising their surfaces to 1600°C.

That leaves them with a bright surface as they burn, which looks like a streak to us.

It’s rare for objects in a meteor shower to make it to the Earth’s ground, as most are too small and burn out too quickly. If they do reach us, though, they become “meteorites”.

When can I see the 2026 Lyrid meteor shower in the UK?

It will end on April 25, but the most dazzling displays are expected on Wednesday, 22 April, when the shower peaks.

To get the most out of the meteor shower, look at the dark for 20-30 minutes to help your eyes adjust to the light levels (don’t look at your phone during this period!).

The best shows may come after midnight.

Where can I watch the 2026 Lyrid meteor shower in the UK?

While April’s planet parade will be a lot harder to see in the northern hemisphere than it is in the south, the opposite is true of the Lyrid meteor shower.

If you have access to unobstructed, clear, dark skies, your odds of seeing the event are higher. Beaches, the tops of hills, and fields are all good spots.

How should I watch the 2026 Lyrid meteor shower?

It should be visible to the naked eye.

The longer you look, Space.com noted, the likelier you are to spot something out of this world.

© HuffPost