The Leonid meteor shower, one of the most anticipated astronomical events of the year, reached its peak on the night of November 16-17. Famous for its fast and bright meteors, the Leonid meteor shower is an annual event that occurs when Earth passes through the debris left by the Tempel-Tuttle comet. This interaction causes the meteors to burn up in the Earth’s atmosphere, creating a stunning display often referred to as ‘shooting stars’.
The Leonids are named after the constellation Leo, from which they appear to originate. During the peak, observers can expect to see up to 10-20 meteors per hour under ideal viewing conditions. However, the brightness of this year’s display was slightly diminished due to the presence of a waning gibbous moon.
Viewing conditions for the Leonids are generally best after midnight, when the radiant point – the point in the sky from which the meteors appear to originate – is high in the sky. Observers in both the Northern and Southern hemispheres can enjoy the show, although it is typically more visible from the Northern hemisphere. It is recommended to find a dark location far from city lights, lie flat on your back and look up, allowing your eyes to adjust to the darkness for about 30 minutes.
The Leonid meteor shower is known for producing meteor storms, which are intense displays where hundreds or thousands of meteors can be seen in a single hour. However, these storms are rare and typically occur every 33 years, which is the orbit period of the Tempel-Tuttle comet. The last storm occurred in 2002, and the next one is not expected until around 2035.
While the Leonids are not the strongest meteor shower of the year, they are known for their speed and brightness. The meteors travel at speeds of up to 44 miles per second and leave glowing “trains” (bits of debris in the wake of the meteor) which last for several seconds to minutes.
In addition to the Leonids, November also offers other skywatching events, including the conjunction of Venus and Jupiter on November 24, and the peak of the Geminid meteor shower in mid-December.
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