Lyrids meteor streams are groups of meteoroids originating from dust
grains ejected from Comet C / 1861 G1 Thatcher. The Lyrid meteor shower
will be peaking this year on April 22, 2013. The annual meteor shower
typically puts on a good show, averaging about 10-20 meteors an hour,
but sometimes featuring “surges” of activity that peak as high as 100
meteors an hour. The Lyrids also tend to produce rather bright meteors
with long highly visible trails. All in all it’s worth getting out to
see them if you can make the time.
How to view the Lyrids:
Go outside, find a dark spot and look north north-east near the constelation of Lyra for the Lyrids radiant. Meteor showers are strictly for night owls or early risers. The best time to view the Lyrids is from around 2h00 to dawn when they'll be in the north. They are fast and bright with some trains. You should be able to see 18 streaks an hour or more during the peak. The Lyrids meteor shower is active from the 16th Apr to 25th Apr with fewer activity either side of the peak time.
