Get Ready to Watch Two Meteor Shows in Our Area

By Dale Hines
Blue RAM Media

April 19, 2025

MOBILE Ala.

I find myself looking up into the dark skies whenever I’m out late at night and seeing if I can name the stars or see a meteor or just gazing in awe.

And if you’re one of those people, there are two annual meteor shows that are going to be visible in the Alabama skies for the rest of this month.

One is called the “Lyrids Meteor Shower” and will be visible on Friday night but will peak on the night between April 21 and April 22. This is an average shower with around 15 meteors per hour, although sometimes up to 100 an hour under clear conditions.
The Lyrids can produce bright “dust trails” that can last for a few seconds, even producing bright fireballs.
Depending on the brightness of the moon, some will streak through the skies like diamonds.
According to local reports, the Alabama moon will be at about 33%, waning crescent, so conditions for visibility should be favorable.

To catch the show at primetime, head outside just after midnight and look northwest. For those knowledgeable observers, the showers will be in the constellation Lyra. Best views will be closer to dawn when the radiant point will be higher in the sky.

According to our information, Lyrids are favored by skywatchers from midnight to dawn.

The next chance to see another show will be the π-Puppid meteor shower which will be active from now through April 28 with a peak around April 23. Sightings should be active from dusk until around 11 p.m. Alabama observers should look to the west.

The π-Puppid showers are favored by skywatchers from sunset to about 11 p.m.

The best way for Alabama skywatchers to see a meteor shower is from a dark sky site, so it helps to get away from city lights as much as possible. Skywatchers should go to the darkest place they can, let their eyes adjust and look overhead — but avoid staring directly at the moon.

Enjoy the sightings alone or make it a party and notify your friends and families.