Here is the group of four illustrations about the Lyridsfrom page 134 of Astronomical Calendar 2024.
As the space view shows, this meteor stream, consisting of bits of matter shed from comet Thatcher of 1861, comes down from the north across the April part of Earth’s orbit. So (finder chart) the place in the sky from which the meteors appear to spray out (the shower’s radiant) is northerly, between the constellations Hercules, Lyra, and Boötes. This radiant rises (horizon scene, for a USA location) in the north-east, around 10 PM, and slopes up to nearly overhead by 4 AM in the next morning.
In good sky conditions, you could expect to count up to 18 meteors per hour, though there have been a few much greater outbursts in the past.
But another factor must always be considered: the phase of the Moon. This year, it is nearly full, and rises around 5 PM. So it will be high in the sky, and its glare may drown out all but the brightest meteors.
The third diagram is a view onto Earth from ecliptic north – that is, perpendicularly down onto it in its orbit. Rotation will in a few hours carry America into view of the oncoming meteors. But the Moon is already nearly overhead.
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ILLUSTRATIONS in these posts are made with precision but have to be inserted in another format. You may be able to enlarge them on your monitor.
One way: right-click, and choose ”View image” or ”Open image in new tab”, then enlarge. Or choose ”Copy image”, then put it on your desktop, then open it. On an iPad or phone, use the finger gesture that enlarges (spreading with two fingers, or tapping and dragging with three fingers). Other methods have been suggested, such as dragging the image to the desktop and opening it in other ways.
Sometimes I make improvements or corrections to a post after publishing it. If you click on the title, rather than on ‘Read more’, I think you are sure to see the latest version. Or, if you click ‘Refresh’ or press function key 5, you’ll see the latest version.