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yesterday

Leonid Meteor Shower Set to Peak Sunday Night Under Dark Skies

A thin crescent moon should keep skies dark, allowing forecast rates of roughly 10 to 15 bright, fast meteors per hour from dark sites.

Image
Leonid meteor shower, with bright falling stars in the night sky.
An engraving by Adolf Vollmy depicts the 1833 Leonids meteor storm and was made famous by a painting by Karl Jauslin. ESA
Weather permitting, under a dark sky away from city lights and light pollution, expect to see approximately 10 to 15 bright meteors per hour Nov. 18, with the best time likely coming in the pre-dawn sky. Gurpreet Singh/Unsplash

Overview

  • The annual display is expected to reach its maximum overnight November 16–17, with the best viewing from after midnight until dawn in both hemispheres.
  • Observers under clear, dark skies can typically see about 10–15 meteors per hour, with some fireballs and long Earth-grazers possible.
  • Leonids are among the fastest annual meteors, streaking at about 44 miles per second, which can make their trails vivid and colorful.
  • Viewing conditions are favorable this year because the moon is roughly 9% illuminated and rises late, reducing glare during peak hours.
  • The shower comes from debris shed by comet 55P/Tempel‑Tuttle, and experts do not expect a meteor storm this year, with the American Meteor Society noting dense debris encounters are unlikely until 2099.