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If you're ready to face cool temperatures early in the morning, you'll be able to marvel at the cosmic debris rays of November's Leonid meteor shower, which culminates this weekend.
The best time to see the Leonids peak this year is between noon and 6 am in all time zones on November 17th and 18th in the United States. The best viewing hours are after the moonset (in the early morning, when the moon sets on the horizon of the Earth) and just before dawn.
If you observe the meteors after the moonset, there will be less light that will hinder your vision. And as this weekend's moon shines to a gibbous increasing phase, it's best to search for moonless Leonids in the sky.
Meteor rain occurs when the Earth moves through a dense cloud of comet debris during its orbital journey. What you see are the traces of dust accumulated over the years. The Leonids are usually visible in mid-November, when the comet Tempel-Tuttle crisscrosses the path of Earth from rocks and ice.
Read more: A strange cigar-shaped object passed through the solar system last year. Now, astronomers can know where this is coming from.
The Leonids are known to be brilliant and prolific meteor storms, with up to 100,000 meteors whizzing into the sky every hour. Although this year's rain is not so huge, experts estimate that people will see up to 20 meteors at the time, a little more than the average of 10 to 15 meteors typically seen at the Leonids' hour.
Accuweather has reported that there may also be some "laggards" from the Taurids meteor shower last month, so you might even see a few more meteors than expected.
In addition to the moonlight, avoid light pollution to see the Leonids. For the best views, EarthSky suggests going to the countryside or in an open field where there are few lights or trees.
Viewers from the western United States (Nevada to Minnesota) and the Southeast States should enjoy the best viewing conditions. The southwestern and southern plains areas will likely be covered with clouds, making the view of the Leonids more difficult. Some parts of the country between Colorado and Illinois may also have trouble seeing the shower, as the snow is expected to fall on this region this weekend.
The northeast will also have clouds, and high winds could make it uncomfortable being out in the middle of the night, according to Kristina Pydynowski, a senior meteorologist at Accuweather.
This meteor shower takes its name from the star constellation Leo Lion, from which dust particles disperse and radiate. The next big Leonid meteor storm is not expected until the early 2030s.
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