Lyrid meteor shower returns with moonless pre-dawn viewing

After a long quiet spell, the Lyrid meteor shower returns with fast, bright meteors and ideal viewing before dawn; at its peak on Wednesday morning (April 22), observers can expect about 10–20 meteors per hour under dark skies, with Vega rising and the Moon set by around 1:15 a.m., and the debris originates from Comet Thatcher (1861 G1), offering a classic, ancient meteor display.