Herts academics explain how to watch the Lyrid meteor shower and the ancient myths behind this celestial show

Observers in the UK are set for some celestial fireworks as Earth passes through a cloud of debris left by Comet Thatcher.

The Lyrid meteor is active from mid-April but is expected to peak on the night of April 22, producing up to 18 meteors every hour, and remaining visible until dawn.

The spectacular astronomical event gets its name from the constellation Lyra - which is thought to be the oldest recorded meteor shower, with sightings in China dating back to 687BC.

Comet Thatcher, also known as C/1861 G1, has an orbital period of about 415 years, so the next time it will be visible from Earth will be around 2276.

Dr Sam Rolfe, an astronomer and Technical Tutor at the University of Hertfordshire's Bayfordbury Observatory, said: “Meteor showers are extraordinary natural phenomena that anyone can watch, enjoy with friends and family and feel connected to the wider universe.

“At the height of the shower, observers can expect to see up to 18 meteors per hour, but this is dependent on the density of the debris cloud, and the artificial light pollution levels at the site of observation as fainter meteors are less likely to be spotted in areas with artificial light pollution.

“You do not need any special equipment to watch a meteor shower, just as dark sky location as you can safely get to and watch from, warm clothing and perhaps a hot drink and snacks.

“Watch for at least 30 minutes if you can, as you need to spend at least 15-20 minutes allowing your eyes to get adapted to the darkness.

“Try to take in as much of the sky as you can at any one time, as meteors can appear in any part of the sky. Best way to do this is using a garden lounger chair, or blankets laid on the ground.”

Dr Rolfe says meteor showers typically have the highest rates in the early hours of the morning but can be seen any time the sky is dark.

They said: “Dark sky locations around the UK would provide the best skies, but a garden or local park is also fine.

“The Moon doesn’t rise until around 3am, so the naturally dark skies will make for good meteor shower viewing.”

If anyone happens to spot a “huge, bright meteor”, also known as a fireball, in the night sky, Dr Rolfe advises reporting it to the UK Meteor Network for scientists to follow up.

They said: “If the piece of rock that caused the fireball was large enough, some of it might make it to the ground becoming a meteorite.

“The more reports that are recorded, the easier it will be to possibly find some left over space rock to study. Make a note of the time, direction it travelled and any other information you think is relevant (the report form will prompt you for specific information, don’t worry!).

“If you happen to capture a photo or a video, even better!”

Comets and meteors have captivated humanity since their earliest sightings in the night sky.

Lacking the scientific understanding of these celestial phenomena, ancient civilisations often relied on myths and legends to make sense of these mysterious outer space visitors.

Dr Ceri Houlbrook, Senior Lecturer in Folklore and History at the University of Hertfordshire, said: “The Lyrids are named for their closest star constellation, Lyra.

“Lyra represents the lyre, a stringed musical instrument most famously played by Orpheus in Greek mythology. Orpheus’s music was so moving that, when he played his lyre for the gods of the underworld, they let him reclaim his dead wife and take her back to the land of the living (but that’s a tragic story for another time).

“The Greeks and Romans believed that meteor showers were portentous, signalling that something important (good or bad) had just happened or was about to happen.

“The Perseid meteor shower, for example, was seen as a portent of the death of the Egyptian queen Cleopatra and, nearly three centuries later, of the martyrdom of Christian deacon St Lawrence, the shooting stars representing the saint’s tears.”

Dr Houlbrook said these myths also extend to the Australian Aboriginal astronomy who have traditional beliefs about the Lyrids.

She said: “The meteor shower’s closest star of the Lyra constellation is Vega, which was known among the Boorong tribe of north-west Victoria as Neilloan. This was the Wergaia language term for the malleefowl, a ground-dwelling Australian bird.

“April is the malleefowl’s nest-building season, when they are seen digging out their nests in the ground by kicking up dirt.

“So for the Boorong people, the Lyrids meteor shower, visible in April, is the Neilloan kicking up shooting stars to make its nest.”

Click to learn more about Herts’ Bayfordbury Observatory, one of the best-equipped and largest teaching observatories in the country, or to learn about studying folklore at Herts.