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By Amy Gernon Published: April 07 2015

Look Up at the Sky Day and the annual Lyrid Meteor Shower are coming up this month--get ready to do some stargazing!

What better way to signal an end to the long, cold, blustery winter we’ve had this year than by celebrating with some early-spring cloud watching and stargazing ? Two April events offer the perfect excuse to spend a little extra time outside this month taking in the beauty of the day and night skies on Long Island.

April 14th is Look Up at the Sky Day, and though the origins of this lesser-known spring event have been lost to the winds, this year in particular we can all benefit from taking a moment to behold the beauty of the clear blue skies whose arrival we’ve all been longing for .

Even if the poor weather conditions forecast for April 14th calls for a rain date, there is plenty of sunshine forecast for April, so there will be many opportunities to stop and look up at the beautiful spring sky over Long Island this month.

There are also opportunities to enjoy the brilliant spring night sky. The annual light show hosted by the Lyrid Meteor Shower is expected to offer another powerful performance this year.

Named after the constellation Lyra, the harp, the Lyrid meteor shower is the oldest known of its kind, with records of the shower dating back to 678 B.C.

The shower is active each year from April 16th to 25th, but you can expect to see the greatest number of meteors falling the during the peak of the show between April 22nd and 23rd. This will be most visible in the hours preceding dawn on both days, though experts say the early morning hours of April 23rd will offer the brightest views. Forecasters expect to see 10 to 20 meteors throughout the shower, but during the peak it may be possible to see more than 100 meteors an hour.

Current weather predictions for April 22nd and 23rd include sunny skies and highs in the upper-50s. Forecasts may change, so be sure to compare the forecasts for the best viewing conditions.

You don’t need any special equipment to be a spectator of the Lyrid meteor shower, but it is best to pick a viewing location with as little light pollution as possible for the best viewing conditions. Astronomers suggest that the best way to view the shower is to lay flat on your back and look toward the east. Bring something warm to lay on because this year the ground is likely to be colder than it usually is this time of year, and getting the best views requires patience.