Particle.news
Download on the App Store
11 ARTICLES
·
3w ago

Leonid Meteor Shower To Peak Nov. 16–17 Under Mostly Dark Skies

A thin crescent moon should keep skies dark for a better view.

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 Leonids are forecast to reach maximum activity overnight Sunday into Monday, with a possible encore before dawn on Nov. 18 and an overall active period from Nov. 3 to Dec. 2.
  • Observers under dark skies can expect roughly 10–15 meteors per hour, with exceptionally fast streaks traveling about 44 miles per second.
  • Best viewing runs from midnight to dawn local time in both hemispheres, and looking away from the Leo radiant can yield longer, more dramatic trails.
  • The meteors stem from debris shed by comet 55P/Tempel‑Tuttle, and while the shower is famous for rare storms, no storm is anticipated this year.
  • With the moon around 9% illumination, weather and local light pollution are the main obstacles; recent Northern Taurids offered bright fireballs, and standard tips apply: find a dark site, let eyes adjust, dress warmly, and lie back to scan wide sky.