During November, fragments of an ancient comet will enter the Earth's atmosphere and give rise to the spectacular Leonid meteor shower, renowned for its bright fireballs and multi-colored streaks.
Occurring from Nov. 3 to Dec. 2, the peak falls on the night of Nov. 18 between 1 and 2 a.m. ET. The window for observing the most meteors will be Tuesday evening through dawn on Wednesday when they can appear anywhere in the sky.
Best Time to Watch and Tips For the Leonid Meteor Shower
EarthSky recommends that to capture the best view of the Leonid meteor shower, start viewing after midnight or even during the early morning hours just before the sun rises. There is no need for any specific orientation since Leonids will be visible throughout the sky. Do not stare at that constellation Leo as if it should be seen at that place. Instead, look at other regions within the sky.
The case is that some astronomical sighting requires the use of either of the following: binoculars, or telescopes. Then here, you don't really need any of them; they are only going to limit your view. Now instead, you should go on to the darkest place that you can get, avoiding city light pollution and the view will be unfettered on rooftops and or in parks or the country generally in cities.
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Moonlight Can Affect Meteor Visibility
The Leonid meteor shower will compete with some bright moonlight this year, as November's full moon peaks on Nov. 15, just days before the shower's peak. This means the waning gibbous moon will slightly dim the sky, possibly reducing the visibility of the fainter meteors. But the brighter Leonid fireballs should be easily visible.
Fireballs and Earth-Grazing Meteors: What to Expect
The Leonids are known to produce some of the fastest and brightest meteors, with NASA saying they can move at 44 miles (71 kilometers) per second. Look for these types of exciting meteors, Gizmodo reports:
- Fireballs. These are bigger, colored explosions, created by larger fragments of debris that produce longer light trails.
- Earth-Grazers: These are meteors that graze the Earth's atmosphere at shallow angles, showing bright, long trails near the horizon.
Origin of the Leonids: Comet 55P/Tempel-Tuttle
The Leonid meteor shower is caused by the debris left behind by Comet 55P/Tempel-Tuttle, which orbits the Sun once every 33 years. It was first discovered by Ernst Tempel and Horace Tuttle mid-19th century. It is approximately 2.24 miles (3.6 kilometers) long. As it approaches the Sun, it leaves behind a newly created trail of dust and debris, causing spectacular meteor showers.
Meteor showers in the case of events like the Leonid happen when Earth enters an orbit where debris flows out of a comet have occurred, burning on collision into Earth's atmosphere, causing flashes as fire across the sky.
Rare but Unforgettable Leonid Meteor Storms
Every 33 years, the Leonids could present a meteor storm with hundreds or even thousands of meteors per hour. The last major storm of the Leonid occurred in the year 2002. It exposed skywatchers to between 500 to 1,000 meteors per hour. None is forecast for this year, but an impressive show is still offered by the Leonid meteor shower worth lying awake for.
One of nature's most vivid nighttime shows is coming this month. Under clear skies and at the right time, the Leonids will be an unforgettable spectacle across the night sky.
