Leonid’s meteor shower to light up the night sky next week with 15 stars every hour visible all over the world
- The Leonid meteor shower is set to peak from November 16 through November 17
- This is an annual event, but this year will be more visible than last year
- The moon is set to be only 5% illuminated at the height of the night
- Skygazers should see 10 to 15 meteors streaming across the sky every hour
- NASA says the best viewing of the meteor shower will be around 3 a.m. ET
The Leonid meteor shower is set to be shown on an out-of-this-world screen next week, with one meteor appearing across the sky every five minutes during its zenith.
The event peaks overnight from November 16 to November 17, and is known to carry some of the most intense meteor storms – some events saw 50,000 meteors an hour.
Although showers are annual, this year will be more visible than in the past given that the crescent is only 5 percent illuminated.
NASA says the best time for skywatchers to flood their eyes on the cosmic screen is around 3 a.m. ET in both the northern and southern hemispheres.
The Leonid meteor shower is set to be shown on an out-of-this-world screen next week, with one meteor breaking through the sky every five minutes during its zenith. Pictured is the event that appears over Joshua Tree National Park in 1998
NASA shared in a statement: “ Leonids, which peak during mid-November each year, are a major shower even though meteorite rates are often as low as around 15 meteors an hour.
“Leonids are meteors that are bright and they can also be colorful.”
Meteors travel at about 44 miles per second and are among the fastest meteors in space.
This event occurs every November due to the intersection of Earth’s orbit paths with Comet Temple Tuttle. Space.com Reports.
The event peaks overnight from November 16 to November 17, and is known to carry some of the most intense meteor storms – some events saw 50,000 meteors an hour (pictured is the shower in 1998)
As our planet crosses a comet’s orbit, it passes through debris tracks that allow meteorites to collide with our atmosphere.
The first recorded Leonid was spotted in 1833, leading to the discovery of Comet Temple-Tuttle in 1865 – all of which demonstrated that meteors in annual showers originate from comets.
NASA says the best way to see the show is to find an area very far from street lights, wear warm clothes and lie down with your feet facing east.
Although showers are annual, this year will be more visible than in the past given the crescent is only 5 percent illuminated. NASA says that the best time for sky watchers to flood their eyes on the cosmic screen is around 3 a.m. ET in both the northern and southern hemispheres. Pictured is the shower in 2001 over Tuscan, Arizona
The US space agency said: “Orient yourself with your feet towards the east, lie on your back, look up, and enjoy as much of the sky as possible.”
In less than 30 minutes in the dark, your eyes will adjust and start seeing meteors. Be patient – the show will run until dawn, so you have plenty of time to peek.
The Leonid meteorite gets its name from its radiation, the point at which meteorites appear in the constellation Leo.
Every 33 years, a Leonid meteor shower arrives in the form of a meteor storm, with more than 1,000 stars per hour.
In the year 2034, researchers expect observers to have the opportunity to see 2,000 meteors an hour, in “Leonid Storm”.
