12 Stunning Meteor Shower Photos That’ll Make You Want to Stay Up for the Lyrid Meteor Shower
Get ready to stay up late and look at the stars. These 12 jaw-dropping Lyrid meteor shower photos will have you chasing stardust and wishing on every streak of light.
- Alyana Aguja
- 4 min read
The Lyrid meteor shower, which is among the oldest recorded cosmic spectacle, illuminates the evening sky in April with blazing ribbons of light. The following 12 genuine photographs evoke its stunning loveliness from all over the world, demonstrating meteors moving across historical landmarks, deserts, and night skies full of stars. For stargazing veterans or an inquiring nocturnal creatures, these images will spark wonder and get you to remain awake for nature’s celestial pageant.
1. Lyrids Over Thanlyin, Myanmar (2015)
Image from ABC News
This long-exposure photo, taken on Earth Day, April 23, 2015, captures Lyrid meteors streaking close to the Milky Way in the clear night sky over Thanlyin, Myanmar. The scene emphasizes the peaceful beauty of the universe, with the meteors introducing dynamic streaks to the peaceful scene.
2. Hardy Monument, Dorset, UK (2017)
Image from Space
This photo, taken on April 23, 2017, shows a lone vertical Lyrid meteor over the ancient Hardy Monument at Portesham, Dorset, UK. The meteor’s glowing trail is set against the monument’s silhouette, creating a dramatic photo combining natural and man-made landmarks.
3. Appleby, Cumbria, UK (2017)
Image from Space
This composite photograph uses three photographs to represent the Lyrid meteor shower over The Pennines at Appleby, Cumbria. The layering method makes it easier to see multiple meteors, providing a full picture of the shower’s activity.
4. Mousehole, Cornwall, UK (2017)
Image from Space
On April 21, 2017, a clear sky over Mousehole, Cornwall, UK, provided a great opportunity to photograph the Lyrid meteors. The image displays the meteors’ bright trails against the starry sky.
5. Castlerigg Stone Circle, Cumbria, UK (2017)
Image from Shutterstock
Captured above the ancient Castlerigg stone circle near Keswick in Cumbria, this photograph captures the Lyrid meteor shower reaching a peak of 10 to 15 meteors per hour on April 21, 2017. The contrast of the meteors against the historic site lends an ageless look to the photograph.
6. Kulim, Kedah, Malaysia (2012)
Image from The Christian Science Monitor
On the peak of the 2012 Lyrid meteor shower on April 22, photographer Veerayen Mohanadas took a bright Lyrid meteor in a long-exposure photograph from Kulim, Kedah, Malaysia. The trail of the meteor shines out clearly against the black sky, showing the shower’s radiance.
7. Ridgecrest, California, USA (2012)
Image from Space.com
Skywatcher Marian Murdoch took this photo of a Lyrid meteor from Ridgecrest, California, on the 2012 Lyrid meteor shower peak night of April 22. The photo captures the brief moment of a meteor’s existence, highlighting the transitory nature of these events.
8. Ralph, Saskatchewan, Canada (2012)
Image from Space.com
Photographer Bill Allen took an incredible shot of a Lyrid meteor with the northern lights in the background during the peak of Lyrid meteor shower overnight on April 21-22, 2012. The merger of the meteor and aurora borealis presents an enchanting visual spectacle of celestial light events.
9. Ozark, Arkansas, USA (2012)
Image from Space.com
Skywatcher Brian Emfinger took an amazing Lyrid fireball with the Milky Way behind it from Ozark, Arkansas, on April 21-22, the peak of the 2012 Lyrid meteor shower. The photo’s frame emphasizes the meteor’s luminosity against the galaxy’s thick star field.
10. Empire Ranch, Sonoita, Arizona, USA
Image from Benzie County Record Patriot
Photographer Sean Parker took a particularly bright-looking Lyrid meteor at Empire Ranch outside Tucson, Arizona. The meteor’s colorful trail adds a dynamic touch to the peaceful desert scenery.
11. Park City, Utah, USA
Image from KSL TV
Sky photographer Peter Day snapped a single meteor blazing across the nighttime sky over Park City, Utah, at 1:34 a.m. EDT on April 21. The long exposure composite of 60 photos takes in a 30-minute view and reveals the trail of the meteor against star trails.
12. Kocsér, Hungary (2015)
Image from Space.com
Photographer Béla Papp snapped a Lyrid meteor just above a building in Kocsér, Hungary, after waiting outside for four hours shortly after midnight on April 23. The photo underscores the brevity of the meteor’s appearance, as well as the patience involved in capturing such an event.