Lyrid meteor shower: Amazing pictures capture magnificence of annual display

Beautiful spectacle has occurred annually for thousands of years

The Lyrids meteor shower passing near the Milky Way in the clear night sky of Thanlyin, Myanmar

Stargazers were treated to a dazzling display last night as the annual Lyrid meteor shower appeared in the skies above the UK.

The spectacle peaked last night, with around 20 meteors an hour visible in the north of the country, but is expected to continue to a lesser extent until Saturday.

The beautiful pictures emerging from around the world – although Europeans were best placed for the most spectacular view – show the shower continues to captivate.

Observed for the last 2,700 years the meteor shower has varied in strength since it was first recorded.

Although most years there are roughly five to 20 meteors an hour, in 1803 observers recorded 700 an hour and as recently as 1982 Americans saw approximately 100 every hour.

The Chinese recorded the earliest sighting of the shower, noting in 687BC that the meteors were “falling like rain”.

The Lyrid meteor shower occurs when the earth passes through the dust trail left by comet C/186 G1 Thatcher. It is especially bright thanks to the comet’s relatively short orbit of the sun, every 415 years.

The fantastical display – visible to the naked eye – is caused when the debris and dust from the comet’s tail burns up when it enters the earth atmosphere.