A Lyrid meteor shower, which can produce bright 'fireball' shooting stars, is expected just before this month's Pink Moon Supermoon. Next week, you may be able to catch the meteor shower over Colorado, if you have a good eye. 

Photo by Hari Nandakumar on Unsplash
Photo by Hari Nandakumar on Unsplash
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This spring meteor shower is active starting this Friday, April 16, through April 30, but according to the Farmer's Almanac, Lyrids will 'reach their peak on the night of April 21 to April 22, 2021,' and up to ten meteors per hour could occur on average. It is possible to see a surge of up to 100 per hour, though that's pretty rare.

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Patch.com says for those specifically in the Denver area, the best time to see the Lyrid 'fireball' meteors is the early morning hours of Earth Day.

'Heading outside the morning of Thursday, April 22, around moonset — that's just after 4 a.m. in Denver — for the Lyrid meteor shower peak is a perfect way to start your Earth Day celebration,' Patch says.

Photo by Anthony Cantin on Unsplash
Photo by Anthony Cantin on Unsplash
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They're referred to as 'fireballs' because 'trails of ionized gas' create a glow that is visible in the night sky for a few seconds, Patch explains.

As with any stargazing, you'll need the sky to be clear of clouds, and you will want to be away from the city lights (and it will likely be a pretty cold night). Last time I [attempted] to watch a meteor shower, I drove north of Fort Collins on Highway 287, past The Forks. Although it was dark enough to see plenty of stars, I didn't see any meteors, so hopefully you have better luck than we did.

Out There Colorado has 7 Colorado skywatching events to look up for in 2021, and the Farmer's Almanac has viewing tips, like letting your eyes adjust outside for 20 minutes.

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