🌠 Don’t Miss the Lyrid Meteor Shower – Peaking April 21–22, 2025 🌠
Get ready for one of April’s most enchanting sky shows! The Lyrid meteor shower, active from April 16 to 25, will reach its peak on the night of April 21 into the early hours of April 22. During this time, you could see up to 18 meteors per hour streaking across the sky.
✨ Best Viewing Tips:
- Head to a dark, open area far from city lights.
- Lie back, look up, and give your eyes about 30 minutes to adjust to the darkness.
- The radiant point is near the constellations Lyra & Hercules, but meteors can appear anywhere in the sky.
- In many locations, including across Europe, the best viewing will be after midnight until just before dawn, with minimal moonlight thanks to a waning crescent moon.
🌌 Photography Tips to Capture the Magic: Astrophotography is a thrilling adventure—and capturing meteors is one of its most rewarding highlights. Here’s how to make the most of it:
- Research the best dates and times for the meteor shower for your location.
- Visit a dark sky location, well away from light pollution.
- Use a wide-angle lens and start with your lowest f/ratio (e.g., f/1.4, f/2.8).
- Try a 10 to 20-second shutter speed and an ISO around 4000 (ISO 1600 for older cameras).
- Set white balance to 4000K if you’re in an urban area and want to capture a blue-ish sky.
- Switch off autofocus and manually focus on a bright star or set focus to infinity.
- Lock focus in place if you can (e.g. by using gaffer tape).
- Always shoot in RAW for the best post-processing flexibility.
- Use a tripod and remote shutter release to avoid any camera shake.
- Light your camera controls with a red headlamp to preserve night vision.
- For artistic flair, capture a separate foreground exposure and blend it later.
Whether you’re out to marvel at nature’s show or hoping to capture it with your camera, the Lyrids are a breathtaking reminder of the universe’s beauty.
📸 Happy skywatching—and clear skies!
@Wido Oerlemans