An exciting celestial spectacle will take place this month – flying at lightning speed, a torrent of meteors will whizz across the sky and burn up in the atmosphere to create beautiful, sparkling flashes of light. The annual astronomical event happens around the world from mid-to-late April each year, here's everything you need to know about the 2025 Lyrid meteor shower.
When can you see the Lyrid meteor shower in Melbourne?
Every April, the Lyrid meteor shower is visible for about a two week period. This year, the Lyrid meteors will be at their most active between April 16 to 25, and are expected to peak just after midnight on Tuesday, April 22 or in the early hours of the morning on Wednesday, April 23.
On these days, you can expect to witness up to 20 shooting stars per hour shooting through the sky, with sporadic flashes of light visible at night throughout the two-week period. This helpful interactive map will tell you exactly when to look up based on your location.
What is the Lyrid meteor shower?
This astronomical spectacle is created when the Earth makes its annual journey through the dust trail left by comet Thatcher (C/1861 G1). When the small chunks of debris collide with our atmosphere, they disintegrate, forming fiery streaks in the sky that look like shooting stars when viewed from Earth. Lyrids are one of the world’s oldest meteor showers, with their origins tracing back more than 2,500 years in Chinese texts.
How can I see the Lyrid meteor shower in Melbourne?
The number one thing we can hope for is clear skies, and we’d also suggest finding a place far away from artificial city lights. If you need to scope out a good viewing point, head to one of these stargazing spots across Melbourne. Remember to give your eyes enough time (around 30 minutes) to adjust to the darkness. You don’t need any special equipment or astronomical skills to view this meteor shower, just a bit of patience. When you're on meteor watch, keep in mind that Lyrid meteors are relatively fast, but on the plus side they are surprisingly bright.
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