<p>There will be no meteors from the shower while the radiant is below the horizon.  Meteoroids will be travelling on roughly parallel paths towards Earth and so only the side of Earth that is on the side from which the meteorids is approaching will get any meteors.  Fortunately, as the Earth rotates, most areas will move into the side of the Earth facing the meteor stream at some point</p>
<p>Unfortunately, the April Lyrids are a narrow stream, with a short-lived peak activity,  The times closest to the peak would occur on the 21st-22nd of April, in the morning.  According to your results, the radiant sets 1hr30min before the peak and doesn't rise again until 9hr30min after the peak.  Thus your best observing chances are from the previous transit at about 4:30 to the time the radiant sets.</p>
<p>Meteor showers are inherently unpredictable, it is not possible to say with certainty how many meteors you will observe in any particular hour (while the radiant is above the horizon)</p>
<p>However, the longer you observe the more chances you get, so why not try both nights?</p>
<p>Even better, why not try to observer a different shower that is more active in your hemisphere?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-04-23T14:37:48.677Z
We did a radar (205 MHz) observation (1130-1330 IST) during the predicted peak (1230h IST) and during the window of rise to set (2130 p.m.-1100 a.m. IST). We indeed observed brighter meteors during the transit of the radiant than during the peak. We will follow your suggestions for the peak of eta-Aquarids (May 05). Thank you.
Smarty
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-04-22T20:05:39.543Z
2024-04-22T20:05:39.543Z
James K
<p>The 2024 <a href="https://www.imo.net/files/meteor-shower/cal2024.pdf" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Meteor Shower Calendar of the International Meteor Organization</a>  mention the April Lyrids (006 LYR) as follows: Lyrids (006 LYR) - activity: April 14–30, maximum is expected on April 22, 07^h UT [p.6/28]; radiant: α=271°, δ=+34°.</p>
<p>Translating 0700h UT to Indian Standard Time [IST] is 1230h IST.</p>
<p>At Ernakulam (10.04 °N, 76.33 °E), the radiant of the April Lyrids rise is at 21h56m, transit at 4h29m and set at 10h58m (as per Stellarium).</p>
<p>If I need to make a radar observation of the shower's peak for detection and the probable ionosphere disturbances, should I focus on the expected maximum at 1230h IST or during the window 2156p.m.-1058a.m. IST [22-23 April]?</p>

<meteor><meteor-shower><radar>
Radar Observation of a Meteor Shower (April-Lyrids)
Smarty
# Radar Observation of a Meteor Shower (April-Lyrids)

(Asked by: username_0 on 2024-04-22)

The 2024 [Meteor Shower Calendar of the International Meteor Organization](https://www.imo.net/files/meteor-shower/cal2024.pdf) mention the April Lyrids (006 LYR) as follows: Lyrids (006 LYR) - activity: April 14–30, maximum is expected on April 22, 07^h UT [p.6/28]; radiant: α=271°, δ=+34°.

Translating 0700h UT to Indian Standard Time [IST] is 1230h IST.

At Ernakulam (10.04 °N, 76.33 °E), the radiant of the April Lyrids rise is at 21h56m, transit at 4h29m and set at 10h58m (as per Stellarium).

If I need to make a radar observation of the shower's peak for detection and the probable ionosphere disturbances, should I focus on the expected maximum at 1230h IST or during the window 2156p.m.-1058a.m. IST [22-23 April]?

**Tags:** meteor, meteor-shower, radar


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2024-04-22. Score: 2 | Accepted answer

There will be no meteors from the shower while the radiant is below the horizon. Meteoroids will be travelling on roughly parallel paths towards Earth and so only the side of Earth that is on the side from which the meteorids is approaching will get any meteors. Fortunately, as the Earth rotates, most areas will move into the side of the Earth facing the meteor stream at some point

Unfortunately, the April Lyrids are a narrow stream, with a short-lived peak activity, The times closest to the peak would occur on the 21st-22nd of April, in the morning. According to your results, the radiant sets 1hr30min before the peak and doesn't rise again until 9hr30min after the peak. Thus your best observing chances are from the previous transit at about 4:30 to the time the radiant sets.

Meteor showers are inherently unpredictable, it is not possible to say with certainty how many meteors you will observe in any particular hour (while the radiant is above the horizon)

However, the longer you observe the more chances you get, so why not try both nights?

Even better, why not try to observer a different shower that is more active in your hemisphere?

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: We did a radar (205 MHz) observation (1130-1330 IST) during the predicted peak (1230h IST) and during the window of rise to set (2130 p.m.-1100 a.m. IST). We indeed observed brighter meteors during the transit of the radiant than during the peak. We will follow your suggestions for the peak of eta-Aquarids (May 05). Thank you.  

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