A shooting star is a rare sight in the city, where light pollution renders almost all the stars in the night sky invisible, but the great thing about Washington, D.C. is that you don’t have to venture that far to find some incredible places for stargazing!
Now, with the Lyrid meteor shower about to start, it is the perfect time to make plans on going to spend a late night or an early morning away from the light pollution of the District to see the stars as they’re meant to be seen!
When is the Lyrid meteor shower happening?
The Lyrid meteor shower is going to be active for a little over two weeks in total.
The meteor shower will be visible from around April 14th until around April 30th, and is expected to hit peak intensity around April 21st or 22nd!
While the optimal time for viewing will be during the meteor shower’s peak around April 21st, the peak only refers to the frequency of the meteors, rather than their visibility, which means that you’ll be able to see very clear meteors light up the night sky starting this week!
Where is the best place around Washington, D.C. to see the Lyrid meteor shower
The absolute best way to see the Lyrid meteor shower is to spend the night in places where light pollution is minimal.
If you’re not sure where to go, head to one of the amazing hiking destinations within driving distance of the District; many of these hikes are close to some fantastic small towns that are worth a stay!
Here are a few such destinations:
- Any of the visitor centers along the scenic Skyline Drive route.
- The Skyland resort in Shenandoah National Park
- Maryland Heights Trail in Harpers Ferry
- Sugarloaf Mountain in Shenandoah National Park
