Lyrid Meteor Shower 2026: When to see the oldest recorded meteor shower and where to look for shooting stars

Next up is the annual Lyrid meteor shower when, if you’re lucky, you could see upwards of 20 shooting stars in an hour.

Read more: Full Moons 2026: Here's when all 13 full moons of the year take place and their names - including a Blue Moon

It’s not generally the most spectacular of meteor showers, but is still well worth looking out for and is the oldest to be recorded - with reports of it remarkably dating back to at least 687 BC.

Here’s everything you need to know about the shower this year.

What is a shooting star?

A shooting star is simply what happens when a piece of matter, known as a meteor, burns up as it enters the Earth’s atmosphere, leaving a bright trail behind it. Despite the name, they have nothing in common with the other stars in the night sky.

What is a meteor shower?

Meteors are created when a meteoroid (small space rock) enters the Earth’s upper atmosphere, which causes it to quickly heat up due to friction from the air.

This heat causes the gases around the rock to glow brightly, causing it to become a meteor which can be seen from Earth.

When a number are seen within a short period of time it is classed as a meteor shower, usually caused by the Earth passing through the stream of dust left behind by a comet.

The vast majority of meteors burn up completely in the Earth’s atmosphere and are no bigger than a grain of rice.

Occasionally far larger meteoroid enter the atmosphere – usually huge pieces of rock that have broken off a steroid – and land on the surface of the Earth.

These are called meteorites and the largest ever recorded is called Hoba, weighing in at a hefty 60 tonnes.

It is thought to have landed in Namibia around 80,000 years ago, and can still be seen in the exact spot it landed all those years ago.

The most dramatic meteor showers see thousands of shooting stars streak across the night sky every hour.

What causes the Lyrid meteor shower?

The Lyrids are caused by the interaction of the Earth’s atmosphere with the dust trail left by the Comet C/1861 G1 Thatcher.

When particles of debris enter the Earth’s atmosphere, they burn up, producing a trail of light across the sky.

Comet C/1861 G1 Thatcher only orbits the sun every 415 years, but occasionally, specific planetary arrangements can steer the dust trail into Earth’s path, intensifying the shower.

This happens roughly every 60 years, and while it won't be the case in 2026, observers could still be treated to some ‘Lyrid fireballs’ - brighter meteors that can even cast shadows for a split second and leave behind a trail of glowing ionized gas.

When is the best time to catch the Lyrid meteor shower in 2026?

The Lyrid meteor shower takes place from April 16-25 - but will be at its height at around on the night of Wednesday, April 22. The bet time to see them will be just after the moon has set, from 2am onwards. So you’ll need to be up late for the best potential display.

Where is the best place to watch a meteor shower?

As with most celestial events you want to be somewhere away from light pollution with a clear view of the entire (crucially cloudless) sky.

Resist the temptation to look at your phone, as this stops your eyes adjusting to the dark.

Where in the sky will the meteors appear in the Lyrid shower?

The Lyrids radiate from the constellation Lyra (although they have nothing to do with it directly), which is near the bright star Vega. Look to the east and northeast after midnight and you’ll have the best chance of seeing them.

Will I be able to see them this year?

As ever, the biggest enemy of the stargazer is the unpredictable Scottish weather. Quite a bit of cloud is forecast over the weekend but the skies look like they will be clear in time for the height of the display.

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