Canadians can expect fast, bright Lyrids meteors this weekend
CTV
One of the oldest known meteor showers will peak this weekend, with Canadians and others in the Northern Hemisphere expected to get some of the best views.
One of the oldest known meteor showers will peak this weekend, with Canadians and others in the Northern Hemisphere expected to get some of the best views.
Known for its fast and bright meteors, the Lyrids will peak Saturday night, with an estimated 18 meteors, travelling up to 47 kilometres per second, able to be viewed each hour.
"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," NASA says, adding such sightings have occurred at least four times between 1803 and 1982 in the U.S., Greece and Japan.
"Lyrids don't tend to leave long, glowing dust trains behind them as they streak through the Earth's atmosphere, but they can produce the occasional bright flash called a fireball," NASA says.
The Lyrids have been observed for 2,700 years and their first recorded sighting dates back to 687 BC by the Chinese, NASA says.
Their name is based on the point in the sky where they appear to come from, known as the radiant, which in this case is near the constellation Lyra.
In Greek mythology, the constellation represents the stringed instrument lyre played by the Greek hero Orpheus.
