Lyrid meteor shower: When you have a chance to see a bright fireball

Monday night and into early Tuesday morning the Lyrid meteor shower will still be peaking, said Storm Center 7 Meteorologist Kirstie Zontini.

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The Lyrids are active from mid-April through the end of the month.

Unfortunately, this year a bright waning gibbous moon in the sky will block any dim meteors. There will be a little more cloud cover Tuesday morning.

If you aren’t able to see a meteor before dawn on Tuesday, you can at least use the moon to find Jupiter. Look to the southern sky before the sun comes up and find the moon. Once you see the moon, you will see a bright looking star that almost looks like it’s attached - that is Jupiter.

The meteors from the Lyrids are produced by the comet Thatcher. When Earth encounters debris from this comet, the meteors are created.

RELATED: Meteors explained: What happens before the flash of light?

Even though the moon won’t help this year, the Lyrids are known for producing bright fireballs! A fireball is just a meteor that is as bright as the planet Venus. They often have bright tails that are visible as they burn up in the atmosphere. A fireball was spotted April 16 around Washington, D.C., which was likely from the Lyrids, according to the American Meteor Society.

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Keep checking with your Storm Center 7 team to get updated forecasts and details on when to look as we get closer to Monday and Tuesday.