Vietnamese people are about to welcome 2 brilliant meteor showers, one of which is the 'oldest'

After a quiet three and a half months, meteor showers are back to haunt skywatchers. The last one was the Quadrantids on January 3, but there hasn't been a notable meteor shower since. That could change soon, thanks to the Lyrids.

One of the oldest meteor showers

According to Space.com , this will be the return of an annual meteor shower that is recognized as one of the oldest, if not the oldest meteor shower: the Lyrids.

There are two meteor showers in April.

PHOTO: DAT NGUYEN

While there are dozens of meteor showers that occur during the year, only about 10 are recognized as "major" or the best meteor displays.

Experts say 2025 is a good year to see the annual Lyrid meteor shower. It peaks on April 22, when the moonlight won’t interfere much. This year, the moon will be in a crescent phase, only 36 percent illuminated, and won’t rise until about 3:30 a.m. local time.

The meteors appear to radiate from around the bright star Vega in the constellation Lyra the Lyre (hence the name Lyrids). Any meteor whose path extends back, passing within a few degrees of Vega, is likely a Lyrid meteor.

You can start observing around midnight when Vega will be in the eastern-northeast third of the sky. By the time the first light of dawn approaches around 4:30 a.m., Vega will have climbed to a very high position almost overhead, above the eastern horizon.

Typically, this shower is over a quarter of its peak intensity two days before and after its peak, so if the weather in your area is unstable on the morning of the 22nd, you still have a chance to see a few Lyrids a day or two before or after their peak.

Another meteor shower

The 2025 Eta Aquarid meteor shower runs from April 15 to May 27, peaking this year on the night of May 4 and early morning of May 5. The best time to view the shower is in the pre-dawn hours of May 5.

NASA says the shower produces about 50 meteors per hour. The Eta Aquarids are also known for their speed, traveling through the atmosphere at nearly 40 miles per second.

Meteor viewing requires weather support

PHOTO: DAT NGUYEN

Astronomers recommend observing the Eta Aquarids near dawn. Look toward the constellation Aquarius to see the Eta Aquarids' bright streaks.

The peak of the Eta Aquarids meteor shower coincides with the new moon because the early morning sky around the peak of the shower is moonless.

The Eta Aquarids meteor shower is classified as a powerful meteor shower, best viewed from the Southern Hemisphere or near the equator, although people in some northern latitudes may also be able to observe it.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/nguoi-viet-sap-don-2-tran-mua-sao-bang-ruc-ro-co-tran-lau-doi-nhat-185250407115507096.htm