In celebration of Earth Day, a stunning meteor shower will be visible for two days starting Wednesday up until Thursday, making it the best time to view a dazzling cosmic fireworks' display.

During this time of the year, the Earth orbits a region where the Comet Thatcher leaves a dusty trail resulting in a meteor shower visible on our planet called the Lyrids that are expected to peak tonight.

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The Lyrid meteor shower, however, isn't the brightest or even biggest meteor shower this year but will still provide fantastic shooting stars when viewed away from light pollution and under clear skies.

Meteors are bright remnants that have flaked off a comet or an asteroid. They're normally no bigger than a grain of sand.

When they crash into our atmosphere at a whopping speed of 110,000 miles per hour, this extremely high kinetic energy rapidly converts light into heat and creates an ionization trail across the upper atmosphere.

Viewers can spot these meteors from the Lyrids at a rate of 10 to 20 meteors per hour. Astronomers also say the shower can become heavier than predicted as the Lyrids can put on a sparkling surprise across the night skies.

NASA reported that in 1982, a meteor shower peaked at 90 meteor sightings in an hour but in the 19th century, there were two meteor shower events that became historical as hundred of meteors began raining down from the atmosphere, reaching up to 100 meteors an hour.

Predictions for this week's meteor shower will not be that bountiful, however, but this is still a great way to celebrate Earth Day and view the planet under dramatic streaks of light.

To obtain the best view of the Lyrids tonight, special equipment won't be required. A comfortable, reclining chair is what one needs to maximize the view of the skies.

The direction of the meteor shower will originate from the constellation Lyra where the Lyrids will begin to appear.

The constellation Lyra will be at its highest in the sky just before dawn, which means the best viewing is the wee hours of the morning after midnight.

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