One of the oldest known meteor showers has begun.
The Lyrids will be streaking through the night sky for the next two weeks. The shower began on Saturday and will peak on April 21 and 22.
This particular space phenomenon has been observed for 2,700 years, according to NASA. They're known for their fast, bright meteors (though they're still second place to the famous Perseids in August).
Sky watchers generally see 10 to 20 meteors per hour at the peak of the Lyrids, with fewer visible the other days of the shower.
How to watch the Lyrid meteor shower
The best days to watch the shower this year will be overnight April 21 into April 22 and overnight April 22 into April 23. Earthsky estimates the peak will be at 7:06 p.m. Mountain Time on April 22.
For the best chance at seeing the meteors, NASA says you should find a spot away from city or street lights. Lie flat on a comfy blanket or lawn chair with your feet facing east, and watch as much of the sky as possible. Be patient -- it may take 30 minutes for your eyes to adjust enough to see the shower.
The Lyrids' radiant -- the point in the sky where the meteors appear to come from -- is the constellation Lyra. That's actually where the shower got its name.
The brightest star in that constellation in named Vega and will begin rising above the horizon between 9 and 10 p.m. local time. It will be high enough to see meteors by about midnight, but the higher the star climbs in the night sky, the more meteors you are likely to see, according to EarthSky.
Don't just focus on that one spot in the sky, though. NASA says the meteors' trails will be longer and more spectacular as they get further away.
The new moon this year falls on April 19, so the lack on moonlight on the nights of the peak should help with viewing, as long as the weather also cooperates.
What causes the Lyrid meteor shower?
The meteors that make up the Lyrids are actually space debris from Comet Thatcher, which was discovered in 1861.
Each April, Earth passes through this flow of dust and other debris, causing a spectacular lightshow.
Val Lick contributed to this report.
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