PAGASA: Meteor shower visible April 22–23

Barring cloudy or rainy skies, stargazers will be in for a treat from Thursday night until early Friday when the Lyrids meteor shower will be visible. The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said the shower’s peak may feature an average of 10 to 15 meteors per hour. “The shower’s peak this year will be in progress on the late night of April 22 to predawn of April 23 with an average of 10-15 meteors per hour under clear sky condition," Pagasa head Prisco Nilo said. Citing Chinese records, Nilo noted that the Lyrids meteor shower - observed for more than 2,600 years - may feature stars falling "like rain" like in the meteor shower of 687 B.C., though the Lyrids have been weak recently. An article on the MSNBC science section said these meteors are among the oldest known, with ancient records of them dating back nearly 27 centuries. Lyrids are an annual display of fairly fast meteors that may be seen any night from April 16 to 25. The MSNBC article said the Lyrids are above one-half of their maximum in numbers for about a day or two centered on the date of their peak activity. "Lie back, look up, and scan as much of the sky as possible. The meteors could appear anywhere. Give your eyes at least 15 minutes to adjust to the darkness," the article advised. — LBG, GMANews.TV