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Lyrid meteor shower peaks tonight – how and when to watch it with clear skies forecast

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Experts say around 10-15 meteors per hour may pass across the skies above and the forecast is clear over much of Wales

Stargazers are in for a treat over the coming days, with the Lyrid meteor shower set to illuminate the sky with up to 15 meteors per hour. The meteor shower itself usually runs from April 16 to April 25 each year, however it tends to peak on April 21 or April 22.

According to the Royal Observatory Greenwich, observers can expect bright, swift meteors with some leaving trails in their wake. The Lyrids derives its name from the constellation Lyra the Harp, the apparent point of origin for these shooting stars.

The Met Office has revelaed the best places to watch the showers. For the biggest stories in Wales first sign up to our daily newsletter here

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They said: “The Lyrid meteor shower peaks tonight where around 10-15 meteors per hour may pass across the skies above.

“With clear skies in the forecast, some will have good viewing conditions this evening.”

They have also shared a graphic of the United Kingdom and the best places to spot the meteor shower.

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It appears that areas across north west Wales, mid west Wales and south Wales will have fair viewing conditions due to patchy cloud.

Meanwhile those across north east Wales and mid east Wales can expect clear skies and good viewing conditions.

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They recommend watching the meteor shower in the early hours of the morning, with the best time to watch between 2am and 4am.

For optimal viewing, they suggest seeking out dark, clear skies and escape from urban lighting.

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To achieve the best experience, allow your eyes approximately 20-30 minutes to adapt to the darkness.

Do not fret, you don’t need any specialist equipment to observe the meteor shower.

In fact, binoculars or telescopes can actually restrict your field of vision.

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