The Great North American eclipse is history but skywatchers have another treat ahead: the Lyrid meteor shower.

The Lyrid meteor shower runs from April 15 to April 29, peaking in the late evening of April 21 until dawn on April 22.

The Lyrids is one of the world’s oldest known meteor shower, having been observed for 2,700 years. The first recorded sighting of the Lyrids goes back to 687 BC when the fireballs were documented by the Chinese.

Fireballs?

According to NASA, the Lyrids are known for their fast and bright meteors and though they aren’t as speedy or plentiful as the famous Perseids in August, they are capable of as many as 100 meteors per hour. In general, however, you can expect between 10-20 meteors per hour during the shower’s peak.

Lyrids don’t typically leave long, glowing dust trains as they streak through the Earth’s atmosphere but can produce the occasional bright flash called a fireball.

Lyrids originate from pieces of space debris from the comet  comet C/1861 G1 Thatcher, first discovered in 1861. Meteors are produced by leftover comet particles and bits from broken asteroids. When comets come around the sun, they leave a dusty trail behind them and, every year, the Earth passes through the debris, which allows the bits to collide with the atmosphere where they disintegrate to create fiery and colorful streaks in the sky.

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How to view

Lyrids are best viewed in the Northern Hemisphere during the dark hours – after the moon has set and before dawn. You should find an area well away from city lights or street lights and be prepared with a sleeping bag, blanket or lawn chair.  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, NASA said.