One of the Oldest Visible Meteor Showers has Returned For 2026
The Lyrids were first recorded in the year 687BC.
www.timeout.comDirect answer: The Lyrid meteor shower peaked around April 21–22, 2026, with best viewing in the UK in the hours after midnight into dawn, often delivering 15–20 meteors per hour under dark, moonless skies.
Details for the UK (and your area in Marseille is not UK, but you asked UK):
- Peak window: the overnight hours of April 21 into the early morning of April 22, 2026. In the UK, skies are typically clearest after midnight, with the radiant in Lyra rising higher in the sky as the night progresses.
- Visibility tips: aim for a dark-sky location away from city lights; check local cloud cover; a crescent moon can set early, helping to boost contrast. Allow about 30–60 minutes for your eyes to adapt; meteors can appear in any part of the sky, though many originate near Lyra’s constellation area.
- Expectation: meteors are fast and brief; fireballs are possible but not guaranteed. Observers in the UK historically report multiple bright streaks per hour during peak.
Helpful extras
- If you want to maximize your chances this year, plan for late-night hours on April 21–22 and monitor weather forecasts for clear skies and low humidity; the later in the night, the more meteors you may see as Earth rotates into the debris stream.
- Meteor shower activity runs from mid-April through late April, with the main peak concentrated around the date above.
Would you like a concise, day-by-day viewing plan for the UK’s April 21–22 window, or a quick checklist you can print for stargazing? If you’re in Marseille or elsewhere, I can tailor viewing tips for your location as well.