“The quality of mercy is not strained; it droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven,” wrote William Shakespeare.

Coincidentally, the peak of April’s famous annual Lyrid meteor show will streak across the sky on April 22, just one day before Shakespeare’s birthday.

Most of the activity will take place in the early morning hours, radiating from an area near the bright star Vega, and best seen in dark skies.

First recorded sightings of the Lyrids meteor shower date back to 687 BCE, noted by astronomers in China, although the comet that is the source of the meteors wasn’t discovered until 1861.

Early methods of sky observation, developed by Chinese astronomers, led to astonishing findings. Some of the biggest astronomical discoveries include the first recorded sighting of Halley’s Comet, the earliest known observations of sunspots, and the first known record of a supernova (the colossal explosion of a star).

On July 5, 1054, Chinese astronomers noted the sudden brilliant appearance of an object four times brighter than Venus. They called it a “guest star,” and saw it in daylight for 23 days. Known for meticulous records, the astronomers also chronicled the date the supernova faded from view.

April 22, 1056, marked the last observation of the surprise object located between the horns of the constellation Taurus the Bull. The ancient, massive stellar explosion is now known as “The Crab Nebula.”

— Julie Silverman, Carnegie Science Center

First Published: April 15, 2025, 8:00 a.m.