"You can see a few almost every clear dark night if you look long enough, but periodically the Earth passes through a dense swarm of these particles which have only recently come from their parent comet, giving what we call a meteor shower, " he said.

BBC: Stargazers promised meteor show

No special equipment was required to watch the shower, which occurs when Earth passes through a stream of dusty debris from the comet Swift-Tuttle.

BBC: Perseid meteor show reaches peak

Sunday's eye-catching event occurred at the height of the annual Lyrid meteor shower, which happens every April as Earth plows through the dust and debris trailing a comet called Thatcher.

WSJ: Meteor Creates a Show, No Apparent Damage