The Leonids meteor shower's peak is expected to occur the evening of November 17 through the morning of November 18. This year the second quarter Moon -and its bright light - will be up during this time, which will wash out all but the brightest meteors. Not a great showing this year!
The Leonids generally produce 10-15 or so meteors per hour, if viewing under dark skies. During an "outburst," a great many more may be seen. These outbursts occur every 33 years an the last one was in 2001, so the next unusually strong Leonids shower not expected to occur again until 2034. They originate from the dust tail of Comet Tempel-Tuttle.
The Leonids will appear to streak from the constellation Leo, but can be seen anywhere across the sky.
If you want to try to spot some meteors, bundle up, as it is getting late in the year! Get to a dark spot, get comfortable, bring extra blankets to stay warm, and let your eyes adjust to the dark sky. A cozy lounge chair makes for a great seat, as does simply lying on your back on a blanket, eyes scanning the whole sky.
The Night Sky Network has a handout that you may find useful for your meteor watching party: Heads Up: It's a Meteor Shower Handout!
You can also check out this detailed guide to the Leonid meteor shower from Earthsky.
The Leonids generally produce 10-15 or so meteors per hour, if viewing under dark skies. During an "outburst," a great many more may be seen. These outbursts occur every 33 years an the last one was in 2001, so the next unusually strong Leonids shower not expected to occur again until 2034. They originate from the dust tail of Comet Tempel-Tuttle.
The Leonids will appear to streak from the constellation Leo, but can be seen anywhere across the sky.
If you want to try to spot some meteors, bundle up, as it is getting late in the year! Get to a dark spot, get comfortable, bring extra blankets to stay warm, and let your eyes adjust to the dark sky. A cozy lounge chair makes for a great seat, as does simply lying on your back on a blanket, eyes scanning the whole sky.
The Night Sky Network has a handout that you may find useful for your meteor watching party: Heads Up: It's a Meteor Shower Handout!
You can also check out this detailed guide to the Leonid meteor shower from Earthsky.
Date: Thursday, November 17 - Friday, November 18, 2022
Time: 9 p.m. - 5 a.m.