Meteor shower to ignite Vietnamese sky

By Hoang Nguyen   April 21, 2020 | 05:00 am PT
Meteor shower to ignite Vietnamese sky
A meteor streaks past stars in the night sky above Leeberg hill during the Perseid meteor shower in Grossmugl, Austria. Photo by Reuters/Heinz-Peter Bader.
Stargazers across Vietnam can observe the Lyrids meteor shower Wednesday night.

The annual meteor shower is usually active from April 16 to 25 each year, but the peak can occur between late April 22 and early April 23 this year.

About 10-15 bright meteors are expected at the peak, with each to appear about 15-20 minutes apart.

This year, the celestial event will occur on a moon-less day, making it more convenient to observe. The best time for stargazing is after midnight when there are fewer artificial lights. People are advised to use binoculars, telescopes or cameras to enhance the experience.

Lyrids is one of the oldest meteor showers, dating back 2,500 years. The source of the meteor shower is particles of dust shed by the long-period Comet C/1861 G1 Thatcher, which orbits the sun once every 415 years.

 
 
go to top