- Some of the largest meteor showers ever seen were the Leonids.
- Under ideal conditions, you could see 10 to 15 meteors at the peak of the shower.
- The Leonid meteors travel at 44 mph and are considered among the fastest available.
Watch the skies over the next few days: The peak of the Leonid meteor shower will be evident in the chilly November skies early in the morning.
The culmination of this year’s Leonid meteor shower lasts several days and will be best seen on Wednesdays and Thursdays. AccuWeather.
The Leonids appear to come from the constellation Leo (hence their name) in the east, but they will be visible across the sky.
Some of the largest meteor showers ever seen were the Leonids. For some years, they are an official meteor “storm”. The Leonid meteor storm of 1833 included a staggering rate of 100,000 meteors per hour, EarthSky speak.
According to EarthSky, the event of 1833 is sometimes referred to as “the night of the stars”. It was the first recorded meteor storm in modern history.
However, no such storm is forecast this year.
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According to EarthSky, under ideal conditions, you could see 10 to 15 meteors at the peak of the shower. Unfortunately, in 2021 we will have to deal with a waxing vbbous moon, which will make it harder for you to see fainter meteors. The best times to see are before dawn on the Wednesday and Thursday after the moon sets.
Also known as “meteors,” meteorites are actually leftover comet dust. They are pea-sized particles of dust and debris and grains of sand that crumbled away from Comet Tempel-Tuttle as it wobbled by Earth. (Earth’s orbit takes it straight through the debris trail.)
Dust and debris burn up as they hit our atmosphere.
Leonids are also very fast: They travel at 44 mph and are considered one of the fastest meteorites available, NASA said.
Here are some meteor shower viewing tips, provided by NASA:
- Find an area away from the city or street lights.
- Prepare for chilly weather with a sleeping bag, blanket or lawn chair.
- Orient yourself with your feet to the east, lie flat on your back and look up, taking in as much of the sky as you can.
In less than 30 minutes in the dark, your eyes will adapt and you will begin to see shooting stars. Be patient – the show will last until dawn, so you’ll have plenty of time to catch a glimpse of the sky.
According to Accuweather, the weather will be suitable for meteor watchers in the southeastern US along with inland areas in the West, where there is very little cloud and in the distance, according to Accuweather. Conditions will be less favorable over parts of the central states, as cloudy skies from the cold front cut through the region.
