If you are looking for a reason to bask in New Mexico’s dark night skies, there is one astronomical event coming up that will shower you with sublime beauty.

Each April, the Lyrids are a meteor shower that creates a dazzling display as it sprays across the night sky.

Mike Lewinski/Flickr The event takes place between April 16 and 30, 2020, with the meteor shower best visible in the early morning hours.

The Lyrids are named after the nearby constellation it passes—Lyra, which is located next to the Hercules constellation—and just happen to be the oldest known shower in history.

blob rana/Flickr The earliest sighting dates back to 687 B.C. when it was spotted and documented by Chinese astronomers. Those very astronomers poetically described the shower, stating that “at midnight, stars fell like rain.” Sounds lovely, doesn’t it?

In mid-April, you’ll spot various numbers of meteors flitting across the sky but for the best show, you’ll want to stay up until the wee morning hours between April 22 and 23.

Rocky Raybell/Flickr During that pre-dawn time, dozens of meteors will be visible. The best part of this? The moon will only appear to be a sliver that night, meaning you can revel in an incredible show in an almost moonless sky.

Occasionally, you’ll be treated to fireballs racing across the sky.

Carl Jones/Flickr They sound dramatic but are essentially just meteors that are significantly brighter and often leaving trails that are slow to fade.

For the best views, we recommend leaving the city and heading out into nature.

Islam Hassan/Flickr Dark Sky locations like Capulin Volcano National Monument offer spectacular views without light pollution or crowds. You can find a list of Dark Sky places in this article.

Are you planning to watch the Lyrids meteor shower this year?

Mike Lewinski/Flickr

The event takes place between April 16 and 30, 2020, with the meteor shower best visible in the early morning hours.

blob rana/Flickr

The earliest sighting dates back to 687 B.C. when it was spotted and documented by Chinese astronomers. Those very astronomers poetically described the shower, stating that “at midnight, stars fell like rain.” Sounds lovely, doesn’t it?

Rocky Raybell/Flickr

During that pre-dawn time, dozens of meteors will be visible. The best part of this? The moon will only appear to be a sliver that night, meaning you can revel in an incredible show in an almost moonless sky.

Carl Jones/Flickr

They sound dramatic but are essentially just meteors that are significantly brighter and often leaving trails that are slow to fade.

Islam Hassan/Flickr

Dark Sky locations like Capulin Volcano National Monument offer spectacular views without light pollution or crowds. You can find a list of Dark Sky places in this article.

If you prefer activities under the sun, then you just might appreciate the lovely views on the Soledad Canyon Loop Trail near Las Cruces. Read more in The Soledad Canyon Loop Trail Is A Beautiful Hike In New Mexico That Leads To A Secret Waterfall.

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Address: New Mexico, USA