Don't miss the Leonid meteor shower in the night sky this weekend
Don't miss the breathtaking Leonid meteor shower this weekend! With an expected rate of 10 to 15 meteors per hour, this famous celestial event promises an unforgettable night under the starry sky
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Experience the awe-inspiring Leonid meteor shower, the upcoming celestial extravaganza marked by the spectacles of luminous meteoroids leaving long-lasting trails as they traverse the nocturnal expanse.
The Leonids have been active since early November but are expected to reach their peak at 12:33 a.m. ET on Saturday, according to EarthSky. Sky-gazers can anticipate a dazzling display of 10 to 15 meteors per hour.
Those hoping to witness a meteor from this shower are in luck due to the moon being in its waxing crescent phase. As a result, there will be less light interference compared to a full moon, explained Dr. Sharon Morsink, a physics professor at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Alberta. The American Meteor Society indicates that the moon will be 23% full on the night of the shower's peak.
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NASA/ESA/CSA/STScI
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The meteor shower can be observed a few days before and after the peak, which occurs on Saturday. According to Morsink, the best time to view the shower is after midnight in any time zone, when the constellation Leo is at its highest in the sky. Morsink, who manages the university's astronomical observatory, explained that Leo is the radiant of the meteor shower, i.e., the point from which the phenomenon appears to originate.
Morsink emphasized the importance of getting away from light pollution for optimal viewing. She stated that although some meteors can still be seen in the city, the number visible is significantly lower compared to being outside the city.
Meteor storms from the Leonids
The Leonids are famed for generating meteor storms, the term used when a shower reaches rates of at least 1,000 meteors per hour, according to NASA.
The Leonids, with a record-breaking rate of 144,000 meteors per hour in 1966, hold the title for the highest number seen in a meteor stream, as reported by the American Meteor Society. Although there were higher rates observed in 1999 and 2001, the society does not anticipate another significant event until 2099. This is when it is predicted that Earth will encounter a dense cloud of debris from the parent comet, Tempel-Tuttle. As this comet orbits the sun, it leaves behind a trail of rocks and dust, creating the annual Leonid meteor shower when Earth crosses this debris on its own orbital path.
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JPL-Caltech/NASA
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Although a Leonid storm event is not expected this year, there is still a possibility to witness a higher number of meteors than the anticipated rate, according to Morsink.
"It's always exciting to experience your first meteor shower," she expressed. "There's a fascinating connection we have with the entire solar system; here we have a comet that is millions, if not billions, of years old, orbiting the sun from a distance. It's a means for us to establish a connection with objects that are incredibly distant."
Meteor showers are still to reach their peak this year. The American Meteor Society has stated that meteors from the Leonids will continue to illuminate the sky until their showers conclude on December 2. For those who are keen to witness more, there are additional meteor showers scheduled to peak in 2023.
â Geminids: December 13-14
â Ursids: December 21-22
Full moons
There are two full moons remaining in 2023, according to the Farmers Almanac:
â November 27: Beaver moon
â December 26: Cold moon
