Statewide Astronomy Night at Longway, Lyrid Meteor Shower Dazzles on Earth Day

Enjoy free family indoor and outdoor activities under the Lyrid meteor shower and the waxing crescent moon at Statewide Astronomy Night on Friday, April 20, at Longway Planetarium from 6 PM - 9 PM. And early on Earth Day, Sunday, April 22, the Lyrid meteor shower will put on a dazzling display with as many as 20 meteors streaking across the sky every hour.

Statewide Astronomy Night will feature free planetarium shows at 7 PM and 8 PM with first-come, first-served tickets at the door. Inside, you will make your own take-home star finders to help you find constellations and sky objects on your own and make solar system necklaces that demonstrate real scale distances to each planet in the solar system. Outside, both Longway and Seven Ponds Astronomy Club will provide telescopes for observing the night sky or you can bring your own telescope and get help with learning how to use it at home.

The best night to see the Lyrid meteor shower will be the night of Saturday, April 21, into the early morning of Sunday, April 22, although some meteors will be able to be seen on the night before and the night after the shower's peak according to AccuWeather. Get more information on the Lyrids and when and where to look for the meteor shower here.