Grab your blankets and step outside for a spectacular sight this weekend!
Skygazers could see upwards of 15 meteors per hour as the Leonids have been active since early November.
The shower is expected to peak this weekend at 9:33 pm PST on Friday, according to EarthSky.
Historically, the best time to watch was 3 a.m. EST or 12 a.m. PST.
Those braving the cooler temperatures will be treated to a steady stream of debris left behind by Comet Tempel-Tuttle as the earth passes through the thickest part of the Leonid swarm.
While other meteoroid streams usually contain bits of dust and ice, the Leonid stream also contains quite a few gravel-sized bits.
When the skies are clear and dark, you can expect to see about 10 to 15 meteors per hour and, on occasion, an “outstandingly bright meteor (called a ‘fireball’) or a meteor that silently explodes in a strobe-like flash along its path (called a ‘bolide’),” according to Space.
The best way to view this phenomenon is to bundle up in cozy sweaters and blankets, lie back on a lawn chair, and keep your eyes peeled to the sky—but don’t just stare at one spot!
Once you spot your first couple of streaks, trace them backward until you find where they emanate from—you’ll be able to spot a backward question mark pattern of stars that marks the head of the Leo constellation.
According to EarthSky, the most famous Leonid meteor shower created “one of the greatest meteor storms in living memory” on the morning of November 17th, 1966. Rates were as high as thousands of meteors per minute during a 15-minute span.
This morning, at around 6:20 a.m., many Victorians saw a
A bright light streaking across the early morning sky on Friday impressed residents across southern Vancouver Island.
Around 6:20 a.m., multiple Victorians were treated to a bright light streaking across the early morning sky impressed residents.
Those that saw it said the sheer amount of light was intense.
Make sure to keep an eye out!
- When to watch: Watch late on the night of Friday, November 17th until dawn on Saturday, November 18th.
