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Leonids Peak Overnight With Modest Show Under Dark Skies

Activity stays low because Earth meets a thinner part of Tempel‑Tuttle’s debris this year.

Overview

  • The annual maximum occurred the night of November 17–18 with an expected rate near 10–20 meteors per hour (ZHR about 15).
  • The Moon posed little interference this year, with the peak falling just days before the November 20 new moon.
  • Best viewing ran after midnight into the early morning as the radiant in Leo climbed higher, with very fast meteors around 71–72 km/s.
  • Visibility depended on local conditions, with DWD flagging heavy cloud over northwest Germany and clearer spells earlier in the night farther east, alongside sub‑zero temperatures in places.
  • The shower originates from comet 55P/Tempel‑Tuttle’s debris, and experts expect a better chance of stronger outbursts after the comet’s return in the early 2030s.