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Leonid Meteor Shower Peaks Overnight With Dark Skies Favoring Views

Debris from Comet 55P/Tempel‑Tuttle will produce fast, bright streaks with typical rates near a dozen per hour.

Overview

  • The peak runs overnight from Sunday, Nov. 16 into early Monday, Nov. 17, with a waning crescent moon near 9% illumination minimizing glare.
  • The shower remains active into early December, and Monday night into Tuesday could also offer worthwhile viewing opportunities.
  • Under clear, dark skies most observers can expect roughly 10 to 15 meteors per hour, far below rare Leonid storms that exceed 1,000 per hour.
  • For best results, watch after midnight through pre‑dawn from a dark location, allow 20–30 minutes for night vision, and avoid phones or bright lights; no telescope is needed.
  • The meteors are high‑speed fragments from 55P/Tempel‑Tuttle that can produce bright fireballs and Earth‑grazers, and they may appear anywhere in the sky despite a radiant in Leo.