Yesterday morning, an annual meteor shower occurred as earth crossed the orbit of a distant comet and hit debris that had been shed from its tail. The meteors radiate from the constellation Lyra and hence, they are called Lyrids. The constellation’s brightest star is seen near the top of the photo.
I first watched the Lyrid meteors in 1964 and kept a record that I proudly showed to my junior high school science teacher. Yesterday morning I hoped to see them once again, eager to revisit old memories.
It did not look promising at 3 AM as I lay in a lawn recliner to search for the meteors. Clouds moved to and frow, illuminated by the soft glow of city lights, and blocked half of the visible sky. Only 20 meteors or so could be expected in clear, dark skies, so I accepted that I might only see a couple over an hour’s time, if any.
The first half hour ended with a single, bright meteor flashing in the opposite direction of the Lyrids; it was a sporadic that was not part of the shower. Then the clouds evaporated and the sky darkened. A short time later, the swift, short streak of a typical Lyrid shot downward towards the east and disappeared behind trees. Another dim streak appeared a short time later, then nothing more for 20 minutes. As I contemplated returning indoors, a third Lyrid streaked towards the North Star. It was enough for my needs, and I returned to bed.
Though four meteors might not seem like much reward for over hour of gazing at the sky, it was sufficient to reconnect me to happy, boyhood memories from the deep, distant past.
I fell asleep with a smile on my face.
#lyridmeteors #meteorshower #luredbylurids
Eskildoodle Photos and Feelings 