SACRAMENTO, Calif —
The second biggest meteor shower of the year peaks Sunday night in Northern California, but unfortunately, a nearly full moon will be present at the same time.
The moon will be 95% full on Sunday night. As a result, the moonlight will likely obstruct the view of some of the meteors.
The good news is, while the moon will be bright, skies will be clear, and temperatures will be slightly chilly but still pleasant.
This is one of the oldest known meteor showers. It was first observed over 2,700 years ago, according to NASA.
The Lyrids are part of space debris from Comet Thatcher discovered in 1861. Each April, they become visible as Earth passes through this debris. They are known for their fast and bright appearance with about 10-20 meteors streaking across the sky every hour.
The best time to view the Lyrids is after midnight and in the early morning hours before sunrise. Viewing will be best in places away from city lights under dark skies, such as the foothills or Sierra.
If you're looking to capture the spectacle, taking photographs of meteors can be challenging. However, NASA has some tips for snapping pictures of the streaks of light.
Get away from city light and let your eyes adjust for about 30 minutes
Use a tripod to prevent too much shaking from holding a camera
Use a wide-angle lens
Use shutter release or built-in timer
Manually focus lens
Aim in the area of the radiant
Sit back and enjoy the show
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