The Lyrid meteor shower should be at its best this year in the night between April 21 and 22.
Here is the group of four illustrations from page 134 of Astronomical Calendar 2025.
(See the end note about enlarging illustrations. They will appear far sharper in the actual book, printed or digital.)
The Lyrid stream consists of debris shed from comet Thatcher of 1861 and continuing to travel in or near its orbit. The orbit descends from the north across the April part of Earth’s orbit (as shown by the space view).
So (finder chart) the place in the sky from which the meteors appear to spray out (the shower’s radiant) is northerly, between the constellations Hercules, Lyra, and Boötes. If you think you can trace a meteor’s path back to somewhere near the bright star Vega, it is a Lyrid and not a “sporadic” space particle.
This radiant rises (see the horizon scene, for a USA location) in the north-east, around 10 PM, and slopes up to nearly overhead by 4 AM in the next morning.
In good sky conditions, you could expect to count up to 18 meteors per hour (the estimated ZHR or zenithal hourly rate), though there have been a few much greater outbursts in the past.
Another factor must always be considered: the phase of the Moon. This year, the waning Moon will not rise until about 3 AM.
Much more favorable than last year, when the full Moon’s glare was in the sky.
The third diagram is a view onto Earth from ecliptic north – that is, perpendicularly down onto it in its orbit. Rotation will in a few hours carry America into view of the oncoming meteors, and only later into view of the Moon.
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