Leonid’s meteor shower peaks this week

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Meteors can be harder to see when there is a bright moon, but luckily the moon will only be visible at 5%, according to the American Meteor Society. The meteor shower is expected to peak on November 16 and 17. Leonids will be most visible from the northern hemisphere, but you can also see them from the southern hemisphere.

The weather can also have an impact on visibility. The United States is expected to have generally clear skies during peak nights, with the exception of some storms along the west coast, according to CNN meteorologist Dave Hennen.

Tiny comet Tempel-Tuttle, the parent body of the Leonids, will cross Earth’s orbit, creating a shower of vaporizing debris in the atmosphere. The comet takes 33 years to complete an orbit of the sun.

Typically, there are between 10 and 15 meteors per hour. Check online when it will be visible in your part of the world.
Sometimes Leonid meteors can shoot across the sky with brilliant colors. The color of the meteor depends on the metal of the meteor, and for those greens, it was likely magnesium, according to NASA.

The meteor shower takes its name from the constellation Leo, as the meteors will come from the stars that make up the lion’s mane. But you don’t need to look in the direction of the constellation, because meteors will appear all over the sky.

Bright meteors can also be colorful and fast, moving at 44 miles per second – among the fastest meteors. Fireballs and “Earthgrazer” meteors are also a feature of the Leonid rain. Fireballs are brighter and larger and can outlast the average meteor, while scrapers appear near the horizon with long, colorful tails.

A Leonid meteor shoots into the sky in Tucson, Arizona, with Jupiter and Venus visible as well.
The Leonid meteor shower overlaps the northern Tauris meteor shower, so some meteors from this rain may also be visible. The Taurids of the North are also known for their fireballs, which means that if you spot a fireball or two, they could be coming from that downpour.

Unfortunately, this year’s rain will not produce a meteor storm, that is, when you can see more than 1000 meteors per hour. Although such an event was previously associated with the Leonid meteor shower, the last storm occurred in 2001.

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The best time to see meteor showers is between midnight and dawn on both mornings, no matter where you are in the world. Light pollution from cities can obstruct the view, so drive somewhere quieter with fewer lights.

Find an open area with a clear view of the sky and don’t forget to bundle up. If you want to photograph the Leonid meteor shower, NASA suggests using a manual focus camera on a tripod with a built-in trigger cable or timer, equipped with a wide-angle lens.

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