Lyrids deliver a moderate display with some fine meteors

The Lyrid meteor shower is over for 2018. Records of observations suggest that the Lyrids put on a fairly typical display.

A brilliant Lyrid meteor drops through the constellation of Aquila on the morning of April 23rd. Image credit and copyright: Paul Sutherland

Activity was moderate compared to some other meteor showers during the year, according to the International Meteor Organization (IMO) with a peak zenithal hourly rate (ZHR) around 17 an hour on April 23rd.

Observers prepared to sit and watch patiently should have been rewarded with the sight of a meteor or two from this reliable, if not spectacular, shower.

I set up my own camera at Walmer, UK, and photographed a number of Lyrids on the mornings of April 22nd and April 23rd. There was a fair bit of cloud about on the first night, but I managed to photograph one bright Lyrid.

By chance, I also saw a brilliant Lyrid in the opposite part of the sky, from my bed, through a window across the room! That was not photographed.

On the second night, skies were totally clear and got very dark after the Moon set at around 3am. Despite obvious light pollution low over France, I photographed a few Lyrid meteors.

Here are some of the best meteors caught over the two nights. I was using a FujiFilm X-M1 camera fitted with a Samyang 12mm lens at f2.