Lyrid Meteor Shower Peaks Tonight
The meteors of the Lyrid meteor appear to originate on the border between Lyra and Hercules. CREDIT: Starry Night Software View full size image Editor's note: for our complete coverage of the 2012 Lyrid meteor shower, visit here: Lyrid Meteor Shower of 2012: A Skywatching Resource A promising meteor shower will hit its peak tonight, lighting up the late-night sky in what could be an eye-catching end to Earth Day. NASA scientists predict the annual Lyrid meteor shower , which peaks overnight tonight (April 21) and before dawn Sunday, will offer an impressive sky show to observers with clear weather, largely due to the absent moon. Meteor shower expert Bill Cooke of NASA told SPACE.com that the moon is currently in its new phase, when the side facing Earth is not illuminated by the sun. That means that unlike last year, when bright moonlight washed out April's annual "shooting stars" display, the 2012 Lyrid meteor shower could be a stand-out eve