How to watch the Lyrid Meteor Shower 2025: Here's where to look for shooting stars and at what time

There will be shooting stars in the skies tonight - if the cloud stays away. | Canva/Getty Images

The skies above Scotland have been a dramatic place in 2025 so far - it’s only March and we’ve already had Northern Lights, a planetary procession, a partial lunar eclipse and a partial solar eclipse.

Next up is the annual Lyrid meteor shower when if you’re lucky you could see upwards of 20 shooting stars in an hour - it’s not generally the most spectacular but is still well worth looking out for.

Here’s everything you need to know.

What is a shooting star?

A shooting star is simply what happens when a piece of matter, known as a meteor, burns up as it enters the Earth’s atmosphere, leaving a bright trail behind it. Despite the name, they have nothing in common with the other stars in the night sky.

What is a meteor shower?

Meteors are created when a meteoroid (small space rock) enters the Earth’s upper atmosphere, which causes it to quickly heat up due to friction from the air.

This heat causes the gases around the rock to glow brightly, causing it to become a meteor which can be seen from Earth.

When a number are seen within a short period of time it is classed as a meteor shower, usually caused by the Earth passing through the stream of dust left behind by a comet.

The vast majority of meteors burn up completely in the Earth’s atmosphere and are no bigger than a grain of rice.

Occasionally far larger meteoroid enter the atmosphere – usually huge pieces of rock that have broken off a steroid – and land on the surface of the Earth.

These are called meteorites and the largest ever recorded is called Hoba, weighing in at a hefty 60 tonnes.

It is thought to have landed in Namibia around 80,000 years ago, and can still be seen in the exact spot it landed all those years ago.

The most dramatic meteor showers see thousands of shooting stars streak across the night sky every hour.

What causes the Lyrid meteor shower?

The Lyrids are caused by the interaction of the Earth’s atmosphere with the dust trail left by the Comet C/1861 G1 Thatcher.

When particles of debris enter the Earth’s atmosphere, they burn up, producing a trail of light across the sky.

Comet C/1861 G1 Thatcher only orbits the sun every 415 years, but occasionally, specific planetary arrangements can steer the dust trail into Earth’s path, intensifying the shower.

This happens roughly every 60 years, and while it won't be the case in 2025, observers could still be treated to some ‘Lyrid fireballs’ - brighter meteors that can even cast shadows for a split second and leave behind a trail of glowing ionized gas.

When is the best time to catch the Lyrid meteor shower?

The Lyrid meteor shower takes place from April 16-25 - but ut will be at its height at around 3am on Wednesday, April 23. So you’ll need to be up early for the best potential delay.

Where is the best place to watch a meteor shower?

As with most celestial events you want to be somewhere away from light pollution with a clear view of the entire (crucially cloudless) sky.

Resist the temptation to look at your phone, as this stops your eyes adjusting to the dark.

Where in the sky will the meteors appear in the Lyrid shower?

The Lyrids radiate from the constellation Lyra (although they have nothing to do with it directly), which is near the bright star Vega. Look to the east and northeast after midnight and you’ll have the best chance of seeing them.

Will I be able to see them?

As ever, the biggest enemy of the stargazer is the unpredictable Scottish weather. Quite a bit of cloud is forecast for Tuesday evening but the skies look like they could clear just in time for the height of the display.