File photo of meteor shower. Photo Credit: bjdlzx (iStock).

File photo of meteor shower. Photo Credit: bjdlzx (iStock).

Colorado stargazers are in for a special treat during the early morning hours of Earth Day 2021 as the annual Lyrid meteor shower hits its peak activity level. The meteor shower is set to start peaking during the late evening hours of Wednesday, April 21, continuing into the early morning hours of Thursday, April 22 – Earth Day.

Expect to see about 10 to 15 shooting stars streaking across the night sky per hour during the Lyrid meteor shower’s peak. The moon will be 68 percent full on this night, according to the American Meteor Society, which could impact visibility.

While often lacking persistent trains, the Lyrids can produce extra-bright meteors, also referred to as fireballs. The shower is also famed for its rare outbursts bringing up to 100 shooting stars blasting across the night sky per hour. 

RELATED: "Super Pink Moon” to light up the night skies of Colorado this month

“Those rare outbursts are not easy to predict, but they’re one of the reasons the tantalizing Lyrids are worth checking out,” writes EarthSky.org.

The meteor shower will be active between Friday, April 16 and Friday, April, 30 2021. Visibility will vary across the state depending on moonlight and current weather conditions.

Get somewhere dark, give your eyes at least 20 minutes to adjust, and sit back and enjoy a spectacular star show!

RELATED: 12 incredible spots to see the stars in Colorado

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