Check out the Lyrid Meteor Shower over the next couple of weeks. The peak occurs on 22nd April and the Moon is almost at new moon phase so won’t cause a problem on the 22nd. The picture shows early morning in Sydney and NSW – will be higher the further north you go and lower the further South – the best view will be around 5 am about an hour before sunrise when Lyra is highest in the North-Eastern sky.
The Lyrids are visible from April 16 through to April 30. They are a better Northern Hemisphere Shower but if you are prepared to get up nice and early you still have the chance to see some pretty cool meteors.
The Lyrids hold the record for the shower with the longest recorded history, having been observed since at least 687BC.
That longevity is linked to the orbit of the Lyrid’s parent comet which was discovered in 1861 by A E Thatcher. Comet Thatcher moves on a highly inclined, eccentric orbit, swinging through the inner Solar system every 415 years or so. Its most recent approach to Earth was in 1861.