Lyrid meteor shower nears peak; viewing opportunities in the Maritimes
Lyrid meteor shower
The annual Lyrid meteor shower is expected to peak Sunday night into Monday morning. It is a modest meteor shower that at peak can produce up to 18 meteors per hour. The radiant point for the shower is near the constellation Lyra, which the bright star Vega is a part of. The constellation currently rises over the northeast through the evening and then is positioned high over the eastern horizon overnight.
It is typically easier to spot meteors when the radiant point is higher in the night sky. That means the time for best viewing is midnight through the pre-dawn hours. The usual night sky viewing tips apply. Get away from city lights, give time for your eyes to adjust to the dark and dress for the weather.
One factor working against ideal viewing this year is the moon. The moon is expected to be nearly 90 per cent illuminated through the weekend, making it very bright in the night sky.
Things to spot in the night sky Sunday night.
Best nights to view
Cloud cover will be increasing from the west Friday night, meaning viewing will likely become obstructed in New Brunswick and western Nova Scotia. More favourable viewing conditions are expected in eastern Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island.
Clouds increase from the west Friday night for the Maritimes.
Saturday night is a write off for most of the Maritimes. Cloudy conditions are expected with areas of rain and showers. The exception may be the northern-most and western-most areas of New Brunswick, which could see some clearing of the cloud overnight.
Most cloudy conditions are expected with rain or showers Saturday night. It will then clear overnight for northern and western areas of New Brunswick.
A large part of the Maritimes should have ideal viewing conditions Sunday overnight into Monday morning -- that is the expected peak of the shower. Exceptions look to be the Atlantic coastline of Nova Scotia and parts of northern New Brunswick where some cloudier conditions could be present.
A few clouds are expected, but decent night sky viewing should be possible Sunday night. Cloudier conditions are possible for northern New Brunswick and Atlantic coastal Nova Scotia.
If you see the Lyrids, or capture one in a photo, I’d love to see and hear about it. Send me a report at kalin.mitchell@bellmedia.ca
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Blaine Higgs 'furious' over sexual education presentation
New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs has shared his anger on social media over a presentation in at least four high schools.
Grayson Murray's parents say the two-time PGA Tour winner died of suicide
Grayson Murray's parents said Sunday their 30-year-old son took his own life, just one day after he withdrew from a PGA Tour event.
The dreams of a 60-year-old beauty contestant come to an abrupt end in Argentina
A 60-year-old woman saw her dreams of becoming the oldest Miss Universe contestant in history melt away in a haze of sequins and selfies Saturday at Argentina’s annual beauty pageant.
Driver, 18, gets $3,000 ticket, 32 demerit points after speeding on Laval boulevard
A young driver received a hefty fine from Laval police after they say he was driving nearly 100 km/h over the posted speed limit.
At least 15 dead after severe weather carves path of ruin across multiple U.S. states in the South
Powerful storms killed at least 15 people and left a wide trail of destruction Sunday across Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas during the latest deadly weather to strike the central U.S.
2 died in plane crash near Squamish, B.C., police confirm
Two people died after a plane went down in a remote area near Squamish, B.C. on Friday, authorities have confirmed.
Some birds may use 'mental time travel,' study finds
Real quick — what did you have for lunch yesterday? Were you with anyone? Where were you? Can you picture the scene? The ability to remember things that happened to you in the past, especially to go back and recall little incidental details, is a hallmark of what psychologists call episodic memory — and new research indicates that it’s an ability humans may share with birds called Eurasian jays.
This type of screen time has the worst effect on kids: experts
According to some experts, there is one type of screen time that is continuously excessive, and it's having a severe effect on our children.
After more than 100 years, Newfoundland's unknown soldier returns home
An unknown Newfoundland soldier, who fought and died on the battlefields in northeastern France during the First World War, is back home this weekend for the first time in more than a hundred years.