Lyrids Meteor Shower vs. the 'Pink Moon': Peak Dates

April’s famous “Pink Moon" and the Lyrids Meteor Shower both will show up in the night sky — but this will actually be a major celestial bummer. They're likely to cancel each other out.

Let's talk about that Pink Moon first. It's set to bloom this week, but will it really be pink?

Well, no, it won’t, according to fullmoonphases.com. The name comes from the herb moss pink, or wild ground phlox, which is one of the first widespread flowers of the spring.

But it's likely to interfere with another anticipated celestial event, the Lyrids Meteor Shower, which peaks Thursday and Friday, April 21-22.

Earthsky.org says interference from the full moon could make the meteor shower a bust.

That's too bad, too. Although the Lyrids don’t produce a lot of meteors — typically, around 10 to 15 on a moonless night — they are known for uncommon, difficult-to-predict surges that sometimes bring up to 100 meteors per hour.

This meteor shower also is usually a crowd-pleaser because the Lyrids tend to be bright and often leave trails, which may be enough to overcome the drenching moonlight during the peak, April 22.

• 2016 Meteor Shower Guide: What's Up Next?

Milwaukee-Area Night Weather Forecast

• Thursday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Areas of dense fog before 4am. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a low around 42. Southeast wind 5 to 15 mph becoming northwest after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 50%.
• Friday: Mostly clear, with a low around 37. Northeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm after midnight.
• Saturday: A 20 percent chance of rain after 2am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 44. Southeast wind around 5 mph.

Observatories Near You:

Interested in the night sky? Chances are, there’s an observatory not too far from you. Many are part of local astronomical societies, but often have public open houses for you to explore and get involved. Click on the links below for more information.

Milwaukee, WI

Milwaukee Astronomical Society Observatories

Belgium, WI

Jim & Gwen Plunkett Observatory

Pewaukee, WI

Harken Observatory

Racine, WI

Modine-Bensted Observatory

Oshkosh, WI

Mosquito Hill Observatory

Madison, WI

Yanna Research Station

Sturgeon Bay, WI

Leif Everson Observatory

Fall Creek, WI

Hobbs Observatory

Image credit: Nike Lewinski via Flickr / Creative Commons

______________________

Get Patched In:

Stay up-to-date with Metro Milwaukee News with Patch! There are many ways for you to connect and stay in touch: Newsletters and E-Mail Alerts | Facebook | Twitter