April Lyrids 2026: the moon at peak

Apr 22, 2026, 10:40 UTC · Calculated July 26, 2026

32% Mixed — significant moonlight for part of the night.

Peak and moon conditions

Peak (UTC)

Apr 22, 2026, 10:40 UTC

Illumination

32%

Waxing crescent

Peak rate (ZHR)

~18/hour

Radiant

Lyra

Active period

Apr 14 – Apr 30

Peak night by city

For each city: the local time of the peak, and how much of that night is both astronomically dark and free of moonlight.

City	Peak (local time)	Astronomical darkness	Moon-free darkness	Moonrise	Moonset	Rating
Seoul	Wed, Apr 22 19:40	7.4 h	3.2 h	10:27 (+1)	01:01 (+1)	Fair
Tokyo	Wed, Apr 22 19:40	7.6 h	3.4 h	09:40 (+1)	00:02 (+1)	Fair
New York	Wed, Apr 22 06:40	7.1 h	3.2 h	10:07 (+1)	01:14 (+1)	Fair
Los Angeles	Wed, Apr 22 03:40	7.7 h	3.8 h	10:37 (+1)	00:53 (+1)	Fair
London	Wed, Apr 22 11:40	5.2 h	1.5 h	08:57 (+1)	02:07 (+1)	Poor
Madrid	Wed, Apr 22 12:40	7.0 h	2.5 h	—	03:12 (+1)	Fair
Sydney	Wed, Apr 22 20:40	10.2 h	7.6 h	—	21:20	Good
São Paulo	Wed, Apr 22 07:40	10.1 h	7.6 h	11:54 (+1)	21:32	Good

Why the moon decides a meteor shower

Meteor rates quoted as ZHR assume a perfectly dark sky with the radiant overhead. Real counts fall off fast with sky brightness, and the moon is the one source of sky brightness that is completely predictable years ahead. A full moon near the peak can cut visible meteors by three quarters even under a cloudless sky. That is why the useful question is not “when is the peak” but “where is the moon at the peak” — which is what this page computes.

Other years

Other meteor showers

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