Need to make a wish? You may just have that opportunity to do so, as the Lyrid meteor shower is set to peak this weekend.
No, it's not as spectacular as the Perseid meteor shower in August. Only 20 meteors per hour are expected to grace the skies. That's about one meteor every three minutes. And the timing couldn't be more perfect, as the moon will be in a waning crescent phase. The moon will rise in the pre-dawn hours so it won't have much impact on viewing.
If you were hoping to see the Lyrid meteor shower Friday night into Saturday morning, unfortunately it's not looking good, as we'll be socked in with cloud cover. You'll have a better opportunity to see shooting stars Saturday night into Sunday morning. However, expect fewer meteors to fly across the sky. The best time to view the Lyrids will be in the pre-dawn hours.
In order to view the meteor shower, make sure you drive a good distance away from downtown Buffalo and any other area that has light pollution.
Make sure you give your eyes enough time to adjust to the dark skies.