The Lyrid Meteor Shower Is Back — Here’s What You Need to Know science.howstuffworks.com

Comet Thatcher hasn’t visited our part of the solar system since the American Civil War. And scientists predict that the giant hunk of ice and dust won’t come back here until the year 2276. But every April, some of its debris puts on a nighttime light show enjoyed by millions of stargazers: the Lyrid Meteor Shower.