Lyrids Meteor Shower Peaking Tuesday: Get Outside and Watch the Fireballs

If you're up late (or early) this week, there's going to be some dazzling activity going on in the sky that you can check out. The Lyrids meteor shower will reach its peak early Tuesday morning, when its barrage of space rocks meets the atmosphere in the eastern sky. "You will begin to see Lyrids after 10 p.m. local time," said Bill Cooke, who leads NASA's Meteoroid Environment Office at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala. "This year, the light from the crescent moon will not interfere too much with the viewing, but it is best to look away from the moon, preferably placing it behind you." Read more: Here's a Look Ahead at the Year in Meteor Showers From Earth, Lyrids meteors tend to look unique, because they usually don't leave the glowing trails of dust that often come with meteor showers. However, Lyrids meteors are known to create occasional "fireballs," or bright flashes in the sky. You'll see it better away from the city City lights make it hard to see the sk ... Read full article.