Surges Of Up To 100 Meteors Per Hour Will Light Up The Iowa Skies During The 2020 Lyrid Meteor This April
By Kim Magaraci|Published March 17, 2020
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Kim Magaraci
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Kim Magaraci graduated Rutgers University with a degree in Geography and has spent the last seven years as a freelance travel writer. Contact: kmagaraci@onlyinyourstate.com
Right about now, Iowans are counting down the days to spring and looking forward to the breezy fresh air the season brings. If you’re looking for a way to get out of the house but still avoid crowds, find your favorite spot for stargazing and mark your calendars for the night of April 21-22, 2020. One of the best ways to welcome the season is to plan on watching the Lyrid meteor shower in Iowa! This April stargazing show is always an incredible sight to see. This year, the New Moon will make for some of the darkest skies around.
The Lyrid Meteor Shower in Iowa is expected to peak in the evening of April 21, and just before dawn on the morning of April 22. Plan your trip to a dark site in rural Iowa to spot them.
The Lyrids are known for their impressive bursts of up to 100 meteors per hour, though the show typically averages a little more than a dozen per hour for most of its peak.
The meteors come from the area around the constellation Lyra, so check out a sky map and find a spot that faces the correct direction and get ready for a starry show.
Chances are, we'll have some warm springtime weather which will make the late April shower a perfect opportunity to out of the house and get some fresh air.
Iowa's parks and forests provide a great place to view the sky with little light pollution, and some of our lakes offer low horizons for a front-row view.
Grab a sweatshirt and blanket and head out for a late night adventure that's sure to impress nature lovers and curious minds here in the Hawkeye State.
