Map shows Chicagoland as prime viewing location for Lyrid meteor shower

(NEXSTAR) — Residents of North America are in for a treat as the annual Lyrid meteor shower has returned, giving stargazers a chance to see shooting stars across the night sky, and it looks like Chicagoland is a prime viewing spot.

The Lyrid meteor shower—also known as the April Lyrids—is an annual meteor shower that typically occurs between April 15 and 29.

According to AccuWeather, the shower’s peak is set to occur this Monday night, April 21, into early Tuesday morning.

“If you’re lucky enough to be in an area with a clear sky and little to no light pollution, you could see up to 20 shooting stars per hour during the peak,” says AccuWeather Meteorologist and Astronomy Expert Brian Lada.

But where exactly are the best viewing areas? AccuWeather states that for the best view possible, you should head for the Pacific coast.

“The best places to witness the Lyrid meteor shower will be across the western U.S., parts of the Southwest, central Texas and in a pocket of the Midwest, including areas west and south of Chicago,” explains Lada.

Check out the map below to see how the viewing conditions will be in your area:

Residents of the Atlantic coast won’t be as lucky. AccuWeather is forecasting a storm to move across the eastern half of North America that will spread clouds across most of the East Coast, making the chances of gettign a clear view of the shower very difficult.

Luckily, the next meteor shower isn’t too far away as the Eta Aquarids are set to peak on the night of May 5-6. The meteor shower is best seen from south of the equator, but onlookers across North America may still see 10 to 30 per hour, according to the American Meteor Society.