2 meteor shower events expected in April — Pagasa

MANILA, Philippines — Two meteor shower events may be observed by the public this April, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa).

Pagasa said that the meteor showers are Lyrids and π-Puppids.

Lyrids can be observed from April 16 to 25 with an expected peak of activity on April 22.

“The meteor shower can be observed when Hercules, the meteor shower’s radiant rises at around 9:17 PM nightly and remains active until around 5:14 AM of the following day. The radiant is highest in the sky at around 4:00 AM,” Pagasa said on its website.

The Lyrids will show its “best display shortly before dawn, with up to 18 observable meteors per hour,” assuming that the observer is in a clear, dark, and moonless sky condition.

Meanwhile, π-Puppids will be active from April 15 to 28 with an expected peak of activity on April 24.

“The view of the meteor shower can be observed after sunset until the shower’s radiant sinks towards the horizon around 10:09 PM,” said Pagasa.

“The presence of the last quarter Moon in Capricornus during the peak activity will produce an insignificant effect on the meteor shower observation,” it added.

Pagasa said that meteor showers could be viewed by the naked eye without the need for special equipment.

The agency told the public to maximize the observation by picking a dark viewing site away from city lights under clear and moonless sky conditions.

Cloudless skies tonight, perfect for meteor shower sighting