Meteor shower, lunar eclipse to be seen this month

MANILA, Philippines - Stargazing enthusiasts can expect to see a meteor shower and a partial lunar eclipse this month, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said on Monday.

The Lyrid meteors, described in ancient Chinese records as stars that fall like rain, will be seen from April 16 to 26, with the most visibility on the 22nd.

"The Lyrids meteor shower has been observed for more than 2,600 years. Chinese records show that "stars fell like rain" during the meteor shower of 687 B.C. However, in recent times, the Lyrids have generally been weak. The shower typically generates a dozen meteors per hour under optimal conditions with a brief maximum that lasts for less than a day," Vicente Manalo, officer in charge of the weather bureau said.

He added that a bright gibbous moon (more than half but not fully illuminated) will drown out fainter meteors in pre-dawn viewings of the meteor shower.

Meanwhile, a partial lunar eclipse will also be visible in the Philippines on April 26, beginning at 2:03 a.m. until 6:11 a.m.

The lunar eclipse will also be seen in Australia, most of Asia, Africa, Europe and Antarctica.

"Lunar eclipses are safe to watch, hence, observers need not use any kind of protective filters for the eyes. A pair of binocular will help magnify the view and will make the red coloration of the Moon brighter," Manalo said.