Meteor Shower To Light Up The Sky With Shooting Stars: How To Watch In NJ

The sky will soon be full of shooting stars when the first meteor shower in over three months peaks on Tuesday night.

April’s Lyrid meteor shower is the first event of its kind since the Quadrantids peaked in early January, according to a report from AccuWeather.

Peak night for Lyrids 2026 will fall on Tuesday into early Wednesday morning, during which up to 15-20 meteors per hour may be visible, the report said.

"The Lyrid meteor shower has the distinction of being among the oldest of known meteor showers,” EarthSky said. “Records of this shower go back for some 2,700 years.”

According to EarthSky, Lyrids are known for their “bright and colorful” meteors, which, in some cases, even produce fireballs.

When To Watch

While the best Lyrid viewing conditions are expected from the southwest across the plains into the midwest, AccuWeather meteorologists say breaks in clouds across much of the eastern U.S. should allow for “at least some viewing,” though thicker clouds could limit visibility in the northeast.

The best viewing times will be during the second half of the night when the shower’s radiant point appears high in the sky, according to AccuWeather.

“The higher it rises, the more meteors will appear,” the report said.

According to NASA, the Lyrids are best seen in the Northern Hemisphere during the dark hours (after moonset and before dawn).

“Find an area well away from city lights or street lights. Come prepared with a sleeping bag, blanket, or lawn chair,” NASA said. “Lie flat on your back with your feet facing east and look up, taking in as much of the sky as possible.”

“After about 30 minutes in the dark, your eyes will adapt, and you will begin to see meteors. Be patient – the show will last until dawn, so you have plenty of time to catch a glimpse.”

For those who can’t catch the Lyrids on Tuesday night, no need to worry – according to AccuWeather, the Eta Aquarids are set to peak on Tuesday, May 5, into the early morning on Wednesday, May 6.

Here’s the current weather forecast throughout New Jersey for Monday night into Wednesday morning:

North Jersey

• Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 32. North wind 7-15 MPH.
• Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 55. Light and variable wind becoming south 5-7 MPH in the afternoon.
• Tuesday Night: A 40% chance of showers after 2 a.m. Increasing clouds, with a low around 44. South wind around 8 MPH.
• Wednesday: A 30% chance of showers, mainly before 8 a.m. Partly sunny, with a high near 64. South wind around 7 MPH.

Central Jersey

• Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 31. North wind around 5 MPH.
• Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 55. Calm wind becoming southwest around 5 MPH in the afternoon.
• Tuesday Night: A chance of showers after 2 a.m. Increasing clouds, with a low around 42. South wind around 5 MPH. The chance of precipitation is 40%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch are possible.
• Wednesday: A chance of showers before 2 p.m. Partly sunny, with a high near 63. South wind around 5 MPH. The chance of precipitation is 30%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch are possible.

South Jersey

• Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 0. North wind around 10 km/h.
• Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 14. North wind 5 to 10 km/h, becoming west in the afternoon.
• Tuesday Night: A chance of showers after 2 a.m. Increasing clouds, with a low around 7. South wind around 10 km/h. The chance of precipitation is 40%. New precipitation amounts of less than 1 mm are possible.
• Wednesday: A chance of showers, mainly before 2 p.m. Partly sunny, with a high near 21. South wind around 10 km/h, becoming west in the afternoon. The chance of precipitation is 40%. New precipitation amounts of less than 1 mm are possible.