The Leonids are a reliable meteor shower, and may have 15 or so meteors per hour; in an outburst many more may be seen. Their peak is expected to occur on the night of November 17-18, after midnight. They originate from the dust tail of Comet Tempel-Tuttle.
The Leonids will appear to streak from the contellation Leo, but can be seen anywhere across the sky. Thankfully, there will not be much interference from the Moon this year!
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.
You can use the free Meteor Counter app to record your meteor count and participate in NASA's LADEE mission! Available for iOS devices at http://meteorcounter.com/
The Leonids will appear to streak from the contellation Leo, but can be seen anywhere across the sky. Thankfully, there will not be much interference from the Moon this year!
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.
You can use the free Meteor Counter app to record your meteor count and participate in NASA's LADEE mission! Available for iOS devices at http://meteorcounter.com/
Date: Monday, November 17 - Tuesday, November 18, 2014