How to catch the best view of the Lyrid meteor shower tonight

The Lyrid meteor shower peaks Saturday night into Sunday morning. Look for about 10 meteors per hour during the best viewing hours between 2 a.m. and a few hours before sunrise Sunday morning. Expect meteors sporadically starting a few hours after sunset Saturday.

The Lyrids comes from debris left behind by the long-period comet, C/1861 G1 (Thatcher), which visits our corner of the solar system every 415 years. That debris usually doesn't produce meteors with pronounced, long-lasting streaks but has been known to produce bright fireballs.

The light show is named for Lyra, the lyre shaped constellation that the meteors appear to be coming from, which is known to astronomers as the radiant point. But, like any meteor shower, you shouldn't look just in the area around the radiant; meteors can appear anywhere in the sky. The best place to look is the spot that is most free of light pollution. You should also allow your eyes 15-20 minutes to adjust to the darkness.

Dark locations free from light pollution, especially in the east, are best. Lyra and its neighboring constellation Hercules are low on the horizon this time of year, so areas with fewer trees in the east also provide better viewing.